Firefighters in Willets Point, Queens, worked through the night to contain a massive blaze that started in a DOT warehouse.
At 10 p.m. on a Monday, bright orange flames erupted from the roof of 32-11 Harper Street, a building used by the agency to store and service vehicles.
Commissioner of the DOT, Ydanis Rodriguez, said security is provided 24/7/365 there, and it was one of the on-site personnel who called in the fire department. Rodriguez ‘thanked the Lord” that no one was in the structure.
The tremendous devastation caused by the five-alarm fire on Tuesday morning was captured from the air by Chopper 2.
According to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), it took more than four hours to get the blaze under control due to the extreme heat and a lack of water.
The New York City Fire Department remained on the scene if any new fires broke out.
Due to the incident’s geographical isolation, a Marine Harbor Unit had to connect hoses to the bay’s water supply to wet the wooden roof.
Assistant Chief Joseph Ferrante of the FDNY stated that they drew and used water from the Bay, drafting it to the Tower Ladders to contain and extinguish the fire, which he claimed was isolated in the roof. Water was pumped by hand up the tower’s ladders.
There were five injured firefighters, most of whom were exhausted, according to the FDNY.
According to Ferrante, working conditions were stressful, but he said that the firefighters were all fit and well.
The city had advised nearby residents to close their windows due to potentially hazardous goods within the warehouse, but the FDNY compared the building to any garage with cars inside.
It is uncertain whether the facility will ever return to its average level of operation; however, on Tuesday, it was noticed that personnel were entering and departing the building.
