A six-alarm fire has burned for hours in New York City’s East Village, forcing neighborhood schools to shut down as firefighters battled stubborn flames.
From @wcbs880 #Chopper880: #FDNY battling a stubborn 6-alarm fire on 1st Avenue in the #EastVillage; 10.03.18; #NYC
You can see video of the fire on First Avenue here:
#FDNY members continue to operate on scene of a 6-alarm fire at 188 1 Ave in Manhattan. There are currently 2 non-life-threatening injuries to civilians, and 11 injuries to Firefighters.
More video, from overnight, is here:
You can see pictures from the fire last night here:
Officials Ordered Schools to Close Amid Fears of Smoke Inhalation
The fire, on First Avenue and 12th street, began as a 3-alarm fire and soon grew to a six-alarm blaze. Two New York City public schools announced that they would be closed for the day, as smoke continued to billow out of the apartment building at 188 First Avenue.
⚠️ Due to a 6-alarm fire nearby, two NYC Schools in Manhattan to close today, 10/3/2018: East Side Community High School and P.S. 19 Asher Levy. All students and staff are safe. There will be no classes, after school, or other activities at these schools today. [1/2]
The fire department reported that 11 firefighters had been injured, although it gave no details about the injuries or how severe they are. Officials said that two civilians had also been injured, although they said those injuries were not life-threatening.
The Fire Sparked Overnight and Continued to Blaze into the Morning
#FDNY members are operating on scene of a 6-alarm fire at 188 1 Ave in Manhattan. There are currently 2 non-life-threatening injuries to civilians, and 11 injuries to Firefighters.
Firefighters said that they didn’t yet know how the fire in the tenement building had started. They said they had evacuated the residents at 188 First Avenue and also the residents of the two adjacent buildings, because of concerns about spreading smoke and CO2. The Red Cross was reportedly on the scene helping people who were displaced by the fire.
The fire started in the middle of the night and continued into the morning on Wednesday. Fire officials said that stubborn flames were still burning under the roof of the building.
They said that civilians and fire fighters had suffered injuries from smoke inhalation and from heat. Fire officials also ordered two schools to close nearby because of concerns about the billowing smoke that was drifting on the wind throughout the area. Officials warned people in the areas to keep their windows closed and to call 911 if they suffered from smoke inhalation.
They said the restaurant which had been in the ground floor of the building was “totally destroyed.”
You can watch fire officials updating reporters here.