Fire destroys nine stores in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and leaves nine firefighters and a medic injured after fire started at Lee restaurant’s chocolate shop
- Firefighters are putting out a six-alarm blaze in Williamsburg
- Firefighters arrived at Lee Avenue and Hooper Street just before noon on Sunday
- Nine firefighters and a medic were injured in the fire
A massive inferno destroyed nine businesses in Brooklyn, New York, injuring nine firefighters and one medic.
Emergency services arrived in Williamsburg on Lee Avenue and Hooper Street just before noon on Sunday and called for additional units within minutes of arriving at the blaze.
The first-floor inferno began in a chocolate shop and spread to nine nearby stores, prompting a rapid evacuation of the building.
Footage from the scene showed firefighters preparing to fight the blaze as large plumes of black smoke billowed from the shops.
A massive inferno has destroyed several businesses in Brooklyn, New York, injuring nine firefighters and one medic
Firefighters used a cherry picker to hose down the flames that had left parts of the store scorched and black with ashes.
“We used saws to cut open the gates and we were able to get in,” FDNY chief John Hodgens said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
“They had heavy fire all over the building by the time they got in. It was a challenging fire.’ The fire was under control around 3:45 p.m.
Earlier today, firefighters in Brownsville battled another blaze at an apartment building on Livonia Street.
The fire came from the 11th floor of the building and three children had to be hospitalized as a result.
The kids were alone at the time and it was difficult to get into the apartment which had no smoke detectors.
Firefighters used a cherry picker to hose down the flames that had scorched parts of the store and blackened with ashes
The first-floor inferno began in a chocolate shop and spread to nine nearby stores, prompting a rapid evacuation of the building
“The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the fire was on the 11th floor, so that’s an immediate challenge,” Hodgens said.
“They got up there, the door was locked, the three kids were in, there was a pretty bad fire inside.
“Our members had to force the door, crawl in, they found two of the kids in the living room and one they found right behind the door, they were all unconscious.”
This is an evolving story.