Friday's parting shot

There was a report of a fire at 50 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street late this afternoon ... the FDNY sent four trucks, and, thankfully, there didn't seem to be any sign of a fire.

Thanks to Joshua Cohen for the photo.

Training day

A scene today at Engine Company 28, Ladder 11 on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... thanks to Patty Rat for the photo...

Report of an early morning fire at 131 Avenue A at St. Mark's Place

The FDNY responded to a report of a fire this morning on the second floor at 131 Avenue A, a six-floor building on the NW corner of St. Mark's Place. 

According to the Citizen app, the FDNY received the call at 5:15 a.m. Firefighters were seen wrapping up by 6:15 a.m.

There weren't any reports of injuries. [Updated: ABC 7 reported five residents suffered minor injuries.] Several building residents were gathered with small bags and backpacks, surveying the FDNY at work. Some of them reported leaving their apartments via the fire escapes. 

While it's too early to determine the cause of the fire, firefighters recovered a lithium-ion battery from the second floor, per ABC 7. 

The building is home to several businesses, including Starbucks and TabeTomo. It's not immediately known how much damage they may have sustained.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

After 9/11 ceremonies today, members of FDNY's Engine Company 28, Ladder 11 on Second Street gathered at the recently opened Joey Bats Cafe around the corner on Avenue B. 

They were joined by some FDNY members from other NYC station houses ... as well as some visiting firefighters, including from Oakland, Calif. 

Six members of Engine Company 28, Ladder 11 died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. In total, 26 firefighters from the four East Village station houses died on 9/11; 343 total citywide that day.

Monday's parting shot

Thanks to @nycsouthpaw for sharing this photo... of members of FDNY's Engine Company 5 (station on 14th Street near First Avenue) buying their tree from the Tree Riders on 10th Street and Second Avenue...

Report of a 2-alarm fire at 11-13 Avenue D

A two-alarm fire damaged several businesses and displaced residents late last night at 11-13 Avenue D between Second Street and Third Street. 

The @FDNYalerts account first noted the fire at 12:41 a.m. ...

Manhattan 2-Alarm Box 0415, 13 AVE D, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, 1 FLR STORE

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 13, 2022

... with the "under control" coming at 2 a.m. ...

Manhattan 2-Alarm Box 0415, 13 AVE D, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, 1 FLR STORE, Under Control

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 13, 2022

Nearby residents reported seeing flames coming through the roof of the six-floor building. (H/T Bobby G.) 

Video taken from the scene shows extensive damage to the three ground-floor businesses: Joesph's Convenience Store, New Chinatown Restaurant and Royal Fried Chicken. (New Chinatown Restaurant was not open at the time, as firefighters had to cut through the gate to access the establishment.)

At this time, there isn't any official word of injuries, the origin of the fire or the extent of the damage to the residential units.

Updated 8:30 a.m. 

EVG reader Bobby G. shares this photo from this morning...

Screengrabs via video by THEMAJESTIRIUM1.

Reader report: FDNY truck collides with vehicle on 10th Street and Avenue C

Several EVG readers shared info from a Citizen post yesterday ... in which an FDNY truck collided with a car, sending the vehicle into the sidewalk bridge on the NE corner of 10th Street and Avenue C.

There weren't many details about the collision, except that the vehicle took down the light pole on the corner.

There weren't any reports of injuries. Will update if/when more information is available. 

Top image via Citizen

Officials: Police arrest teen accused of starting fire that destroyed the Essex Card Shop

A teen has been arrested in connection to the fire that destroyed Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A on Jan. 10. 

An FDNY official confirmed the arrest (as well as age and gender) to EVG contributor Stacie Joy. We're told the charges include second-degree arson for the 13-year-old, whose name was not released due to his age. 

Officials and other sources said that the teen was seen leaving the shop minutes before management smelled smoke. Investigators were able to pull photos/videos from the store surveillance camera. 

The fire destroyed Essex Card Shop, which moved here between Third Street and Fourth Street in June 2020 after 20 years on a storefront one block to the south. 

Owner Muhammad Aslam has said he will reopen the business, which has collected more than $65,000 in a crowdfunding effort to help pay for expenses and lost income. 

The fire also temporarily shuttered Downtown Yarns next door.

As previously noted, the stout cement ceiling and brick walls in the storefronts of the 13-floor Ageloff Towers served as a firebreak and prevented further damage to the building and adjacent businesses.

Scenes from the fire today at 47 Avenue A

More than 100 members of the FDNY responded late this afternoon to a two-alarm fire at the Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The FDNY had the fire under control in less than an hour. Two firefighters sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Thankfully, there weren't any other injuries reported. 

The popular Card Shop, which relocated here in June 2020 from a block to the south, was destroyed. Next-door neighbor Exit9 received some smoke and water damage but remains structurally intact. (Read our previous post for more details.) 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

EVG contirbutor Stacie Joy was quickly on the scene after the fire was reported around 4:45 and shared these photos...

As you can see, the Card Shop is in ruins...

 

Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam at Essex Card Shop, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the business. Find the link here.

[Updated] Fire destroys Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Updated: Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam at Essex Card Shop, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the business. Find the link here.

The FDNY is responding to a two-alarm fire that started inside the Essex Card Shop shortly after 4:30 p.m. at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street.

It was a frightening scene as thick black smoke hugged the east-facing wall of the Ageloff Towers.

The early word is that the shop has been destroyed.

No word just yet to damage other businesses here or the apartments above in the Ageloff Towers.

Shot this video clip at 4:52 p.m.

We'll continue to update...

Updated 6:45 p.m. (photo below by Steven)

Everyone is reported to be safe. EVG contributor Stacie Joy spoke with Muhammed and Jayant at the Essex Card Shop. Unfortunately, the shop is in ruins. Jayant said that he smelled smoke coming from the bathroom in the rear of the store and immediately called the FDNY. Both of them said they were grateful that no one was hurt.

In addition, they both said that they would come back from this.

Next door at 51 Avenue A, everyone is safe at Exit9, which sustained minor water and smoke damage. Downtown Yarns appears to be OK as well.

A fire official told Stacie that the cement ceiling and brick walls in the storefronts served as a firebreak and prevented further damage to the building.

We've heard reports of residents who had to evacuate the 13-floor Ageloff Towers above the shops. The resident reports say that this was done safely, and there weren't any reports of injuries. No word on damage to the residential units above the shops. 

EVG reader Eric FG shared this photo of Jayant shortly after the report of the fire...

[Updated] Report of a fatal fire early this morning at 118 Avenue D

Top photo via the Citizen app 

--UPDATED BELOW--

The FDNY is responding to a fire this morning at 118 Avenue D in the Jacob Riis Houses at Ninth Street, and there are early reports that one person has died.

As of 7:50 a.m., the fire, which started in an apartment on the fourth floor, appeared to be extinguished...

There is a massive FDNY response that stretches five blocks along Avenue D...

We'll update when more information becomes available. The FDNY responded to the fire at 7 a.m.

Updated noon

ABC 7 reports one fatality and seven injuries.

A 32-year-old man was discovered dead in the apartment by firefighters.

A 46-year-old woman was taken to the Cornell burn unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition.

A 13-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman were treated for smoke inhalation and burns after they climbed down exterior poles of the building to safety.

Four others suffered minor injuries.

Multiple electric bicycles were found in the fire apartment, and fire marshals are looking into the possibility that they sparked the fire.

There is a GoFundMe for the residents of the apartment where the fire started. Details here.

Instagram user @jay_staccss has dramatic footage of the two teens desperately trying to escape the fire.

 

Updated 11/18

According to published reports, an e-bike battery caused the deadly fire. There were seven e-bikes in the apartment, per CBS 2. 

“These batteries, when they’re damaged or overcharged, release hydrogen gas, explode violently,” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro.

NY1 has coverage here. 

Sept. 11, 2021

Preparing for 9/11 ceremonies outside Engine Company 5 on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue this morning.

Twenty years ago today,  the Company lost Manny DelValle Jr., a 7-year FDNY veteran who grew up in the Bronx. He was 32. (Here's more about him from his obituary in The New York Times.)

According to previous reports, 26 firefighters from the neighborhood's four stations died on 9/11.  

[Updated] Report of a fire at 94 St. Mark's Place

From the EVG inbox at 2:23 p.m. ... a report of a fire in a fourth-floor apartment at 94 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The FDNY quickly brought it under control. No word at the moment on the extent of the damage or if there were any injuries. There isn't any official word on the cause. 

Thanks to Allen Semanco for the photo. 

Updated: 

EVG contributor Steven shared these photos from this afternoon...

There weren't any injuries. It's not immediately known how much water damage there is in the building. 

Updated:

Fun City, the recently expanded retail tenant here, suffered some water damage. Both sides of the shop will need renovations, per the Fun CIty Instagram account.

Report of a fire last night at Nublu

The FDNY responded to a report of a fire last night around 11:30 at Nublu, 151 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street... (thanks to Louise & Danny for the pics!)

The @FDNYalerts account first reported the fire at 11:23 p.m., with an "under control" several minutes later at 11:32. We're told that the music venue filled with smoke, though there was minimal damage to equipment... and everyone safely exited the two-story building. 

[Updated: The folks at Nublu said everything is OK and they will be open tonight. Someone tossed a cigarette butt in a trash can in the entryway, we're told.]

During the time of the fire scare, there was a sold-out party hosted by The Drunken Canal (your favorite newspaper).

Do not come! Do not come! (literally a fire) pic.twitter.com/VxdjgpUUJs

— the drunken canal (@thedrunkencanal) August 4, 2021

This morning, you can find the issue — usually found only down in the box off Canal and Essex — on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Avenue C... (thanks to the reader for the pics!) ...

A follow-up to the fire on Bleecker Street late Friday night

Here's a follow-up to the five-alarm fire reported at 163 Bleecker St. between Sullivan and Thompson late Friday night. 

The smoke was so intense several East Village residents thought the fire was a little closer to home. (This is outside our usual coverage zone, though we received a lot of questions about it.)

There was a report of two firefighters sustaining minor injuries at the scene. And, unfortunately, the business here, Uncle Ted's Modern Chinese Cuisine, was destroyed.

 Here's their message to patrons on Saturday via Instagram:

Amazing 8 years, oh man, we've been through the hardship of pandemic, we were ready to fully reopen to a reunion with all the friends, we were so excited to see our city back, we were trying so hard to make it happen……now it's time to say goodbye. Thanks to all the brave firefighters battling for us last night, thanks for everyone who supported and loved us. Thank you! It's extremely hard for us but we will be back! 

The second floor of the building housed a yoga studio.

The fire remains under investigation, per NYI.  

Report of a 5-alarm fire at 163 Bleecker St.

Several EVG readers have asked about the strong smell of smoke in the neighborhood early this morning ... wondering if there was a fire in the East Village. 

The fire was further to the west. The @FDNYalerts Twitter account first reported the fire at 12:36 a.m. at 163 Bleecker St. between Sullivan and Thompson. 

It eventually became a 5-alarm fire, which the FDNY declared under control at 5:33 a.m.

Manhattan 5-Alarm Box 0358, 163 BLEECKER ST, Other Commercial Building Fire, FLR 1, Under Control

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) May 22, 2021

Photos via the Citizen app show extensive damage to the retail tenant there — Uncle Ted's Modern Chinese Cuisine.

The Citizen app also reported that a firefighter sustained minor injuries.

A fire on April 19 on the corner of Bleecker and LaGuardia Place reportedly destroyed the storefront belonging to GMT Tavern.

Report of a balcony fire on 7th Street

Late this afternoon, the FDNY responded to a report of a fire on a fourth-floor balcony at 102 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

EVG correspondent Derek Berg happened to be passing by "as something exploded and showered down black bits and pieces" ...

There are unconfirmed reports that it was a battery ...

The FDNY was quickly on the scene and extinguished the small fire... which, according to the Citizen app, was contained to the balcony...