Photos by Steven
The FDNY is responding to a fire that broke out this afternoon on the fourth floor of 328 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
Witnesses reported seeing flames shooting out of a front window...
The FDNY was on it quickly...
There's no word at the moment about the extent of the fire, its cause, or any injuries. (Preliminary word is no injuries.)
Two eyewitnesses reported that a group of SantaCon revelers made a joke at the scene ("We can keep warm by the fire") before taking a fire selfie.
Updated 4:30 p.m.
The FDNY remains at the scene... UNOFFICIAL word is a space heater is to blame.
Updated 5 p.m.
There doesn't appear to be much damage to the retail spaces here... waiting to hear more from the owners tomorrow... 
Updated: Unfortunately, there is significant water damage to Jane Cookshop, and the busiess will be closed for the foreseeable future (their online shop is open) ... an.mé and Pillow Cat Books had some clean up but are OK, per their Instagram accounts...
Oof.
ReplyDeleteScary. Hope everyone is okay and that the businesses are not hurt. Looks like FDNY contained it quickly. Fire is among my greatest fears living in this 'hood. Electricity in many buildings is ancient, holiday lights, candles, space heaters, and trees...all in these tiny spaces. People: check your smoke detectors, water those trees!
ReplyDeleteFire selfies.... >:|
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, Pillow-Cat Books posted yesterday on its Instagram that it was safe, but closed for the rest of the day Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI believe buildings that age go up so quickly and fiercely because there's still GAS trapped inside ancient GAS PIPES sealed with crumbling old putty above the ceilings/in the walls. Same deal Second Ave. disaster.
ReplyDeleteWe wondered what all the emergency vehicles were for at the corner. Does anyone know how the tenants are doing? How many apartments were damaged? Is everyone able to be housed? And ugh if it was a space heater…the second leading cause of home fires in the US.
ReplyDelete