The latest from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church: the New York Liberty Bell survives

Here are the latest developments about the Dec. 5 fire that destroyed the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street. (You can find all of our coverage via this link.)

For starters, on Friday, the FDNY said that faulty wiring at 48 E. Seventh St. was to blame for the six-alarm fire that destroyed the neighboring Middle Collegiate Church. An FDNY spokesperson told 1010 WINS that the fire has been deemed "non-suspicious." 

Myles N. Miller at NBC 4 reported that witnesses in the area first started smelling smoke around midnight. However, the first 911 call didn't come in until several hours later when a cab driver saw flames rising from No. 48.

The Fire Marshall has concluded their investigation, but we do not yet have the official written report. What we've been told is: It has been confirmed that the fire originated in the building to our north and the cause was electrical in nature.

— Rev. Jacqui Lewis, PhD (@RevJacquiLewis) December 12, 2020

Over the weekend, workers started removing the church's east-facing (back) wall in order to stabilize the site, according to the Rev. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at the Middle Collegiate Church. (Photo below via Steven)

We will have more to say to our community and to the press once we see the official report. In the meantime, we offer prayers of thanksgiving that there were no fatalities.

— Rev. Jacqui Lewis, PhD (@RevJacquiLewis) December 12, 2020

In some positive news, the steeple remains intact, which is where the New York Liberty Bell had hung in the belfry. The bell appears unharmed ...

As work continues to stabilize @middlechurch, our engineers have found that the church’s historic “New York Liberty Bell” was not damaged during last week’s devastating fire.

DOB engineers remain on site to monitor & assess the stability of the structure. pic.twitter.com/v5BPwuIUGl

— NYC Buildings (@NYC_Buildings) December 12, 2020

Our bell will ring again, and our love is still ringing. pic.twitter.com/BLofkL4HmT

— Middle Church (@middlechurch) December 13, 2020

Some history of the bell via the Times:

It is about 25 years older than the cracked Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, according to a 1959 New York Times article.

Cast in Amsterdam in 1729, the bell was rung in 1735 to celebrate freedom of the press after John Peter Zenger, a German journalist, was acquitted of charges of seditious libel. He had published criticism of British tax collectors, according to the Times article.

It also was rung on the day that Representative John Lewis died in July and a week after the presidential election to celebrate "that love and justice" prevailed... 

Buildings Department officials said that they continue "to monitor and assess the stability of the remaining structure of the church, including the façade and the steeple, while cleanup operations are still underway." 

In one other development, Gothamist reported that there was a small fire at the scene on Saturday morning.

Around 9 a.m. Saturday, "something sparked up and the units that were on the scene did what they were supposed to do, which is just put some water on it," said a FDNY spokesperson who declined to give his name. The flare-up was so minor that the FDNY personnel on scene did not transmit a fire alarm, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Church officials have started the rebuilding process (donation link here) ...

 

[Updated] Early-morning fire at 116 E. Fourth St., home of Mono + Mono

[Via EVG reader kke7st]

Photo of #FDNY o/s #Manhattan *66-22-0429**2nd Alarm** 116 E 4th St off 1st Ave #eastvillage #nyc twitter.com/NYCFireWire/st…
— NYC Fire Wire (@NYCFireWire) April 21, 2013

An early-morning two-alarm fire ripped through 116 E. Fourth St., a single-level commercial building that houses Mono + Mono. Bystanders were told that the fire started in the restaurant's kitchen. There were no reports of injuries here between First Avenue and Second Avenue. No word just yet on the extent of the damage at the restaurant or any adjacent buildings.

The restaurant serves Korean fried chicken and is known for playing classic jazz music — boasting a collection of more than 30,000 vinyl records that are played through vintage tube amplifiers.

Witnesses reported hearing an explosion before the fire, per Twitter. The FDNY evacuated residents at 118 E. Fourth St., according to people on the scene.


[Via EVG reader kke7st]

And via EVG correspondent jdx ...







EVG reader Marina, who shared the next two photos, praised the FDNY's speedy response...





Here's a photo via Jeffrey Borenstein looking north from First Avenue toward the flames...



And the scene on the north side of East Third Street via jdx ... where firefighters accessed buildings to help extinguish the blaze...





More from East Third Street via EVG reader Margo...







Several witnesses said that members of the Hells Angels yelled at the FDNY to watch their bikes.

This is the second major fire in the East Village this past week. Late Tuesday night, a fire claimed the life of 84-year-old Mary Lincoln Bonnell in a fire at 115. Fourth Ave. The FDNY said that a discarded cigarette caused the fire.

Updated 1 p.m.

Here's an update from Mono + Mono here.

[Updating] Report of an early-morning fire at 328 E. 14th St., home of Artichoke Basille’s Pizza

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."

Updating: Report of a fire at 60 E. 9th St.

[Photo by Vinny & O]

There's a report of a fire at 60 E. Ninth St., a six-floor building called The Hamilton at Broadway (the 200-plus-unit co-op sits between Ninth Street and Eighth Street)...

FDNYalerts MAN 2-ALARM 60 E 9 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON ROOFTOP OF BUILDING,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) June 28, 2017

A look via ABC 7... (H/T Doug)



Updated 6:27

Via Grant Shaffer...





... and the view from Astor Place via an EVG reader...



Patch reports that 200 firefighters are on the scene.

... a view north from Astor Place on Broadway via EVG reader 8E...



... a view from Fourth Avenue and 10th Street via EVG reader Charlie Chen...



Updated 7:50 p.m.

Astor Place looking west by Grant Shaffer



The view west on Ninth Street from Tompkins Square Park... smoke visible in the distance... photo via Steven...



The FDNY reports that one firefighter has been injured ... still no word on cause or other injuries...

#FDNY members continue operating at 5-alarm fire, 60 East 9 Street MN. 1 minor injury to a Firefighter reported at this time pic.twitter.com/Xjc0YE45PQ

— FDNY (@FDNY) June 28, 2017

Updated 9 p.m.

Several witnesses said that the fire appeared to intensify as time went on... the FDNY elevated the status from two to five alarms during the early evening.

The Post reports that the building's residents "were forced to gathered outside the building and watch in horror as the fire intensified Wednesday evening."

“I work on Bleecker and by the time I got to Great Jones I looked up and saw it was my building that the smoke was coming [from], the first thing I thought about was my dogs were trapped in the building,” said James Abraham, owner of the nearby Bleecker Street Bar.

“As I was tying to cross 8th street, I was stopped by someone, and they said, ‘No one is getting in the building, if you try to get in I’ll have you arrested.’ So I walked around to 9th street and went in to get my dogs.”

Fearing for the pups’ lives, Abraham navigated his way through the thick black smoke and up to his sixth floor apartment — where he found his four-legged best friends frantically waiting.

“I was very concerned and very focused,” he said. “They were a little distressed. All the noise, smoke and commotion definitely agitated them.”

Updated 9:30 p.m.

The FDNY has issued an under control...

FDNYalerts MAN 5-ALARM 60 E 9 ST, MIXED OCCUPANCY UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) June 29, 2017

...and some play by play on how the FDNY brought it under control...

The members made a very aggressive interior attack to stop this fire - #FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro at 5-alarm fire in Manhattan pic.twitter.com/E5zMqJ0mjC

— FDNY (@FDNY) June 29, 2017

Updated 9:45 p.m.



Updated 6/29 7:30 a.m.
No one in the building was hurt, but 16 firefighters suffered minor injuries, according it NBC 4.

As for the residents:

The Red Cross responded to the scene and said more than 200 households were forced from their home. Only about half of them were allowed back inside, the other half of the building remains evacuated.

Investigators reportedly believe the fire started in the kitchen cooking area of a ground-floor deli on Eighth Street and then traveled undetected up a shaft to the roof.

Meanwhile, southbound N and R trains won't be stopping at Broadway/Eighth...

Details about the service change in effect on the N and R lines pic.twitter.com/ZTavPCWYkc

— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) June 29, 2017

Updated 9:30 a.m.

Here's a look this morning... the damaged appears to be contained to the Eighth Street side... there's still a heavy FDNY presence on the scene... along with the Red Cross...

Report: 8 months after fire, residents want their landlord to repair their Avenue D building

Photo from September 2022

Eight months after a two-alarm fire at 11-13 Avenue D, some residents of the 6-floor residential building between Second Street and Third Street say their landlord is "dragging his feet" in making the necessary repairs.

PIX11 reports that three tenants are taking landlord Gregorio Nunez to housing court via Mobilization For Justice. Residents say no work has been done to the rent-stabilized units.

"The landlord originally told us six months, and that's obviously not the case," Ise White... told PIX11 News. "Our apartments are in great condition. It's mostly the windows that need to be fixed very easily. There was no structural damage."

"Apparently, he's dragging his feet," Nikita Salehi-Azhan, the Mobilization For Justice lawyer and tenant advocate, told PIX11 News. "Unfortunately, it takes a lawsuit to do anything about it. Because only four of the 16 units were occupied and three of the four are rent-stabilized. You can say he doesn't have an incentive to get the repairs going," Salehi-Azhan added.

When PIX11 contacted Nunez, he reportedly said, "no, no, no" and hung up the phone.

After the fire, the DOB issued a vacate order on the building.

Per the city: 

Due to extensive fire damage at 1st-floor restaurant along with fire, water and smoke damage throughout building... fire fighting operations to vent out entire building where all windows and doors have been removed along with removal of the skylight for venting. These hazardous conditions have therefore rendered the ENTIRE premises unsafe to occupy. 

Sources previously said the fire started in the New Chinatown Restaurant. 

There were no injuries in the fire.

PIX11 says the tenants will be back in housing court today.

Fire temporarily closes Gyu-Kaku on Cooper Square

A small fire inside Gyu-Kaku on Cooper Square Thursday evening has temporarily ko'd the restaurant.



The official FDNY Twitter feed puts the fire at just before 8 p.m. The FDNY had the fire under control in 20-plus minutes...

MAN ALL HANDS 34 COOPER SQ, COMMERCIAL FIRE ON FIRST FLR,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 5, 2019

MAN ALL HANDS 34 COOPER SQ, COMMERCIAL FIRE ON FIRST FLR, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 6, 2019

No word on where the fire started. The Citizen app mentioned the fire started on a table. (That information has not been verified.)



Gyu-Kaku is a chain of Japanese yakiniku restaurants specializing in barbecue that diners can prepare at their tables. As the sign on the door notes, their Midtown locations are open.

Updating: FDNY battling 3-alarm fire on the southeast corner of 2nd Avenue and 7th Street

The FDNY is responding to a report of a multiple-dwelling fire on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street...





The first report came in at 4 p.m. ... the FDNY has since upgraded this to a three-alarm fire. The addresses are 48 Seventh St. and 116 Second Ave. The ground-floor retail tenants are Via Della Pace on Seventh Street and Café Mocha on the corner.

MAN 3-ALARM 48 E 7 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE IN THE WALLS AND COCKLOFT,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) February 10, 2020

No word of any injuries at the moment.

Updating

Here's a look via Steven just after 5 p.m. ...











And a video clip from a Citizen user...

Three-Alarm Fire Spread Through Ductwork @CitizenApp

48 E 7th St 3:49:00 PM EST

Updated 6 p.m.

The FDNY has yet to issue an all clear... you can see the extent of the damage to the corner building... (photos by Steven)...





Updated 6:40 p.m.





Updated 7 p.m.

The FDNY issued the under control at 6:43 ... no early word on the cause of the fire...

MAN 3-ALARM 48 E 7 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING HEAVY FIRE ON MULTIPLE FLRS, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) February 10, 2020

Updated 7:38 p.m.

Per PIX 11:

There was fire in the walls of all five floors..., officials said. The first floor is a restaurant and the floors above it are apartments.

Firefighters knocked out windows so they could reach the blaze inside. There were 140 firefighters at the scene.

Five firefighters reportedly received non-life-threatening injuries.

[Updated] Fire reported on Seventh Street and Avenue C

[@KristiAdamsNY]


[@madamelolo]


[@madamelolo]


[Looking south on Avenue C via EVG reader Noah]

Reports of smoke are coming in from all over the neighborhood... fire reported on Seventh Street and Avenue C... more to come... no word just yet of injuries or the extent of the damage...

FDNY taking care of business on 7th Street vine.co/v/bx6ggW5jOhq
— Kevin Barnett (@kevinbarnett) April 28, 2013

Huge fire on 7th street vine.co/v/bx66uXTBlmj
— Madame Lolo (@madamelolo) April 28, 2013

Updated 3:33 p.m.

#FDNY o/s at #Manhattan *75-0439* 230 E 7th St off Ave C. Fire in a 5 story multiple dwelling twitter.com/NYCFireWire/st…
— NYC Fire Wire (@NYCFireWire) April 28, 2013

Updated 3:34 p.m.


[@gaminette]

Updated 3:42

MAN ALL HANDS 230 E 7 STREET, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON THE ROOF,
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 28, 2013

Updated 4:11



The above photo is from the height of the fire via @tdouglassinger

-----

Looking at the fire from Tompkins Square Park... via EVG Facebook friend Lauren Berkery...



St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue...


[Via @erikakaz]

...and Brooklyn...


[Via @NgawangChoney]