[Photo by JK Clarke]
As you likely know, what would eventually be a six-alarm fire broke out in the early morning hours Wednesday at 188 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.
FDNY officials have said that they believe the blaze started on the ground floor, which is occupied by the sushi restaurant Uogashi.
As these photos by Steven yesterday show, Uogashi, which opened here in December 2016, sustained major damage...
[Photo of the damaged rear-portion of Uogashi by Hillary Johnson]
It's too early to know when, or if, the restaurant might return. Uogashi's website is currently offline, and their voice-message system is full. No. 188 remains under a full-vacate order.
The FDNY is continuing their investigation, and have not publicly announced the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, EVG reader Hillary Johnson, who lives near 188 First Ave., shot this video showing the start of the fire just before 2 a.m. (Firefighters had already been called, and were en route to the scene.)
In the video, you can see that the rooftop ventilation fan on No. 188's setback is on fire.
In total, there were 17 reported injuries, including 14 firefighters. The victims mostly sustained minor injuries, according to published reports.
Talk about feeling helpless. Thankfully our fire department is top notch.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the continuing coverage. Yes, the rooftop ventilation fan is either on fire itself, or else flames from a fire below it are traveling upward and out via the fan.
ReplyDeleteAgain, my heart goes out to all who are affected by this, especially the injured and the displaced.
The Zoning Resolution often requires backyards in East Village buildings where proverbial greedy landlords permit first floor extensions. Common sense says that these extensions increase the likelihood of fire spreading to other buildings and make it more dangerous for firefighters. I also suggest residents check at some point to see what plans were submitted to DOB for the restaurant including any vents. Do not assume all the work was approved.
ReplyDeleteThe Zoning Resolution often requires backyards in East Village buildings where proverbial greedy landlords permit first floor extensions. Common sense says that these extensions increase the likelihood of fire spreading to other buildings and make it more dangerous for firefighters. I also suggest residents check at some point to see what plans were submitted to DOB for the restaurant including any vents. Do not assume all the work was approved.
ReplyDelete