Victim in boat explosion on Hudson River identified as veteran DEP engineer
The man who tragically lost his life after a waste-water treatment boat exploded on the Hudson River has been identified as Chief Marine Diesel Engineer Raymond Feige, Department of Environmental Protection city officials announced Sunday.
Feige, 59, died Saturday morning after an explosion on the DEP-owned vessel which he was working on, cops said. The vessel, named the Hunts Point, was undergoing maintenance and docked next to the North River Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility near W. 138th St. in West Harlem.
Feige was hailed as a dedicated employee who worked for the DEP for 33 years in the marine section of operations. He started working for the DEP in 1991, and 'brought deep technical expertise and unwavering dedication to the city's critical wastewater operations,' according to a statement from the DEP. 'His bond with his shipmates and love of working on the water kept him committed to the fleet for more than three decades.'
In the statement, DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala praised Feige as 'a respected engineer and a steady, beloved colleague who will be deeply missed.'
'For more than three decades he worked at DEP in a job that is largely unseen by most New Yorkers but is critical to keeping the city running, and we are grateful for [his] service,' Aggarwala stated. 'Please continue to keep Ray's family and colleagues in your thoughts during this difficult time.'
Feige's wife, Tanja Feige, was still reeling from the unexpected loss Sunday night. She spoke exclusively to a Daily News reporter from the home she shared with her husband in Flushing, now unexpectedly empty.
'We're in mourning right now, we're in shock. We miss him tremendously,' the widow said. 'He was just a wonderful, wonderful man. It's a we all have a big hole in our hearts.'
'Raymond Feige was a very good man, a great husband, a wonderful father who cared very much for his three daughters. A great worker, he was very ambitious, and he was the epitome of what God meant when he created a man,' Tanja Feige said.
Feige attended Brooklyn Technical High School and graduated from SUNY Maritime in 1988. In addition to being passionate about his work, he enjoyed going fishing, vacationing with his family, and barbecue, Tanja Feige said.
The family is still working out funeral plans.
One other worker aboard the boat remains hospitalized. The cause of the explosion is being investigated.
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