A massive blaze engulfed a historic Red Hook, Brooklyn warehouse. The fire broke out last night at 481 Van Brunt Street, spreading quickly through the building which dates from the 1870s and was being used by local artists. "There are so many artists that are struggling financially right now and this is literally their dreams going up in smoke right now," artist Lewis Matheney told ABC7NY in an interview.
More than 250 firefighters were called to contain the five-alarm fire. FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods, in a statement obtained by ABC7NY, disclosed that the firefighters were forced to retreat from the building due to its structural instability, with both the roof and the fourth floor collapsing as a result of the inferno. The fire was battled from the exterior, including from the water using fire boat Marine 9.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries while responding to the blaze. The fire damaged the building at 481 Van Brunt Street, an important site for the upcoming "Red Hook Open Studios" event, according to CBS News New York, leaving it unusable. Tomas Anthony, a local resident, highlighted the diverse artisan community impacted by the fire, which included furniture makers and a motorcycle shop, among other creatives.
The fire’s cause remains under investigation by fire marshals, with no immediate word on what triggered the catastrophic event. The historical construction of the warehouse, described by Chief Woods as "heavy timber," allowed the fire to overtake the building quickly upon its start, as reported by CBS News New York.
