A two-alarm fire tore through 328 E. 14th St. early this morning. According to the official FDNY Twitter feed, the fire started just before 6 a.m. in the ground floor, which is home to Artichoke Pizza here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
FDNYalerts MAN 2-ALARM 328 E 14 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON THE 1ST FL,
— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) May 26, 2017
A large number of firefighters were congregated outside what is Artichoke's dining room...
The damage extends to the second and third floors of the building...
The FDNY called it under control by 6:30 a.m.
FDNYalerts MAN 2-ALARM 328 E 14 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON THE 1ST FL W/ EXT TO 2ND AND 3RD FLRS, UNDER CONTROL
— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) May 26, 2017
No word just yet on cause or injuries or extent of the damage. As of 7 a.m., the NYPD still had 14th Street closed off between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
Artichoke is planning on opening in a new location directly across the street from here. Artichoke debuted at No. 328 in 2008.
Updated 10 a.m.
The Daily News reports that the fire caused "extensive damage" to Artichoke.
Witnesses said that the fire started right around its 5 a.m. closing time.
"I woke up to drunk girls on the street eating pizza and taking Snapchats, saying 'Holy s--t! There's a fire,'" said Morgan Crouse, 25, who lives above the pizzeria.
Updated 2 p.m.
The story in the Post noted this: "One fire source said it did not appear to be intentional."
wow, that looks bad with all the windows bare like that.
ReplyDeleteWow drunk youth eat exotic pizza at 5am in the morning....???
ReplyDeleteThat's my landlord's other building, the one he's always pressuring me to move to. And Artichoke is leaving? Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but after the synagogue fire a few weeks ago, I'm more suspicious of fires that could be helpful to someone. Nothing like insurance money to help fund the move across the street?
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for everyone in that building. I don't know how anyone lives over a restaurant or a bar, especially a place that is open into the wee hours of the morning and caters to the neighborhood partygoers.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea Arte was open until 5, I guess my days of looking something to eat after a night out was long ago. Weren't they suppose to have moved across 14th street by now?
ReplyDeleteI live above a 99 cent pizza joint that closes at 4am on the weekends. It's a delight when the bars let out.
ReplyDeleteSo what happens to everyone who lived upstairs? Those photos show a lot of
ReplyDeletebroken windows & the damage would seem to be quite extensive.
Grieve, can you update us as to what the situation is with people who lived upstairs there? It seems like people must have been displaced.
Its called the city that never sleeps for a reason. If you don't like it move to the suburbs.
ReplyDeleteAndy Dahill from Scarsdale spewed...
ReplyDeleteIts called the city that never sleeps for a reason. If you don't like it move to the suburbs.
Ooh, aren't you Mr. Helpful! Where were you when all those people got blasted out of their homes on 2nd avenue? You must have had an earful for someone!
A good majority of where the apartments' windows used to be now have plywood instead.
ReplyDeleteFew of us have been displaced and need to find a new home because of the extensive damage to our apartments..
ReplyDeleteDid your landlord help in anyway?
Delete" If you don't like it move to the suburbs."
ReplyDeleteThe move to line. It's been a while. Classic DB.
A fire on a street which is slated for massive development.
ReplyDelete