Massive fire damages Brooklyn warehouse housing artist studios; 2 firefighters injured
Fire damages Brooklyn warehouse; firefighters injured
A large fire overnight severely damaged a warehouse that housed artist studios and other businesses in Brooklyn, leaving two firefighters with injuries. FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses has the details.
BROOKLYN - A large fire overnight severely damaged a warehouse that housed artist studios and other businesses in Brooklyn, leaving two firefighters with injuries.
What we know:
Hundreds of firefighters responded to the blaze that began on Wednesday around 11:30 p.m. at a large warehouse located at 481 Van Brunt St. in the Red Hook section.
According to officials, the fire escalated quickly, with heavy flames on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. Flames were also seen shooting out of the roof. Firefighters fought the flames not only from land, but also from the water.
FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses reports no one was in the building when the fire started. Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries.
Red Hook Open Studios
The backstory:
The warehouse housed artist studios, as well as businesses such as furniture stores and a glassblower. The warehouse is one of the buildings that hosts an annual neighborhood event called Red Hook Open Studios, which is scheduled for next month.
What they're saying:
"Due to the amount of fire and the structural stability of the building, we removed our members and attacked the fire from the exterior," FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said. "The building was built in 1870, so the building's over 150 years old. This type of construction is called heavy timber. It's all wood, heavy, heavy timber, minimum eight by eight columns and girders. So once these structural members start going, the fire takes off rather quickly."
What we don't know:
It's unclear if the minor injuries sustained by the firefighters were from smoke inhalation or burns, but Moses is told they were taken to a hospital and are expected to be OK.
What's next:
Structural engineers were expected to be on scene later in the day to evaluate the stability of the building. Not only did the roof collapse, but so too did the 4th floor.