At approximately 3:12 PM on August 4, 2026, an emergency transmission came across the Department of General Services radio system reporting that a gas pump had exploded, the pumps were on fire, and both a supervisor and an Albany Fire Department Battalion Chief were down. Moments later, Battalion Chief Wayne Brennan, despite suffering severe burns in the explosion, came over the radio himself and instructed the dispatcher to transmit the Box Alarm for the Department of General Services facility. Brennan reported that a gas pump had exploded, advised that he was down, severely burned, and requested advanced life support to the scene.

Engine two, Truck two, Rescue one, Rescue two, Engine seven, the Rescue Squad, Engine five, a Battalion Chief, two Mohawk Ambulance Service ambulances, and fire investigators were dispatched to the emergency. As Albany firefighters raced toward the facility, a heavy column of black smoke could be seen rising into the sky and was visible from southbound I-787.

Even while badly burned and awaiting help, Brennan continued communicating over the radio, providing responding firefighters with critical information and arrival instructions. He requested the department’s foam unit to the scene and instructed the dispatcher to notify Albany Medical Center of his injuries. The first-arriving engine company immediately made its way to Brennan while other firefighters knocked down the heavy fire at the gas pumps. Additional Albany Fire Department apparatus quickly poured into the facility as firefighters and paramedics began simultaneously working to extinguish the fire and provide the chief and the badly burned DGS supervisor with the best advance life support possible.

With the seriousness of the injuries quickly becoming apparent by the highly trained paramedics of the Albany Fire Department, Rescue 2 requested Med Flight to the scene. Additional medical resources from Albany Medical Center began responding, including two Albany Med field doctors, as City of Albany firefighter-paramedics worked to stabilize both critically injured men.

Firefighters quickly moved the DGS supervisor into a waiting ambulance, which rushed him to Albany Medical Center for emergency treatment. Meanwhile, Med Flight arrived over the scene and landed inside the DGS yard. Multiple additional Mohawk Ambulance Service resources arrived as firefighters continued treating Brennan.

Albany Police officers, detectives, investigators, and high-ranking city officials also began arriving as the emergency response grew and investigators started working to determine what had caused the explosion. Firefighters eventually loaded Brennan into the waiting medical helicopter. He was flown from the scene to the Westchester Medical Center Burn Unit with critical injuries.

Despite the chaotic conditions and severity of the scene, Albany firefighters were able to knock down the fire at the gas pumps within approximately 10 minutes. Once the immediate fire and medical emergencies were brought under control, investigators established a crime scene around the area of the explosion. The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control was requested to assist with the investigation.

The DGS supervisor, who had initially been rushed to Albany Medical Center, was later transferred to the burn center at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for additional treatment.

The City of Albany Police Department, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the catastrophic explosion. No findings regarding the cause of the explosion have been released publicly at this time. The two men severely injured in the explosion were later identified as Albany Fire Department Battalion Chief Wayne Brennan and City of Albany Department of General Services supervisor Anthony Hughes. The explosion occurred at temporary gas pumps that were being utilized at the DGS facility while new gas pumps were being installed.

Brennan is a 33-year veteran of the City of Albany Fire Department who has spent more than three decades serving the residents of Albany. Throughout his career, Brennan has become known as a highly respected Chief, a hard-working firefighter, and someone who has always stood behind and supported the firefighters serving under him. His dedication to the Albany Fire Department also became a family tradition. Brennan is the proud father of Ryan Brennan, a three-year member of the Albany Fire Department who has had the opportunity to serve alongside his father.

Even after being severely injured in the explosion, Brennan’s actions in those first critical moments reflected his decades of experience. While suffering from serious burns himself, he remained on the radio providing information, requesting additional resources, and helping guide the response until firefighters could reach him. Brennan remains in critical condition at the Westchester Medical Center Burn Unit, where he is surrounded by his family, brother firefighters, and friends.

Hughes, 47, is a 20-year veteran employee of the City of Albany workforce and serves as a supervisor with the Department of General Services. Hughes suffered second- and third-degree burns to approximately 30% of his body in the explosion. After being rushed from the scene to Albany Medical Center, he was later transferred to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for specialized burn treatment. He remains in stable condition and is surrounded by family, friends, and coworkers as he continues his recovery.

Both Brennan and Hughes have spent decades serving the City of Albany and are highly respected members of the city’s workforce. In the days following the explosion, their injuries have brought together firefighters, city employees, friends, families, and members of the community in support of both men.

That support will continue later this month. Due to the severity of their injuries and the lengthy recoveries both men face, the Albany Firefighters Cancer & Disability Foundation has established a fundraising benefit for Brennan and Hughes.

The benefit will be held on August 29, 2026, from 2 PM to 6 PM at Fidens Brewing Company, located at 897 Broadway in Albany. Money raised during the event will benefit the two longtime city employees as they continue receiving treatment and recovering from their injuries.

Those who cannot attend the August 29 fundraiser but would still like to help can contact the Albany Firefighters Cancer & Disability Foundation for information on where to mail check donations. The public is encouraged to attend the benefit and show its support for Brennan, Hughes, and their families as both men continue what could be a long road to recovery following the catastrophic August 4 explosion.