23 Injured in 8-Alarm Blaze in Van Nest
by David Greene
Firefighters were back at it again for rare 8-alarm fire that injured 23 people, four seriously, in the Van Nest section of the borough.
The fire started in a ground-floor furniture store and quickly engulfed the 4-story building above.–Photo by Edwin Soto
The blaze reportedly broke out at a furniture store at 1547 Commonwealth Avenue, at the corner of East Tremont Avenue, at 5:35 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2. The blaze would quickly spread to the 4-story apartment building above.
FDNY members would soon pull-back for an “exterior attack,” as a collapse of the upper floors would soon be reported. The fire was brought under control after more than eight-hours.
It took nearly 400 firefighters almost eight-hours to extinguish a stubborn blaze in bitter temperatures and high winds.–Photo by Edwin Soto
EMS reported 23 injuries, 22 civilians and one firefighter. Four of the injured were removed in critical condition. All of the victims were transported to Jacobi Hospital.
Nearly 400 firefighters from across the borough and Manhattan as members delt with frigid temperatures and strong winds,
Area residents stop to take a look at the burnt-out building after a rare 7-alarm fire in the Van Nest section.–Photo by David Greene
The Red Cross reported 60 residents had been displaced.
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