A fire in Brooklyn’s New Lots neighborhood caused significant disruption and resulted in several firefighters being hospitalized yesterday. As reported by ABC7NY, the blaze began before 6 p.m. at a residence on Williams Avenue, where firefighters faced an intense situation with flames raging in the two-story home. In less than 15 minutes after their arrival, FDNY crews had largely contained the fire, but then a floor collapse injured three firefighters, leaving two trapped under debris, according to FDNY Assistant Chief Mike Meyers, they didn't get a chance to fully assess the fire's impact on the structural integrity before the flooring gave in, resulting in the accident.
A third firefighter managed to escape serious injury as did an occupant of the home who was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and while four families face the dire reality of displacement, the FDNY expressed a sense of relief that no lives were lost, "Their brothers were able to get them out and evaluate them and transport them to hospital in stable condition," FDNY EMS Department Chief Michael Bradshaw told ABC7NY.
Meanwhile, CBS News detailed that it took crews about 10 minutes to extricate the trapped firefighters, amid conditions that left the street "very pitch black, cloudy with smoke," and while the saved firefighters are currently "beat up, battered and bruised," there are no life-threatening injuries, "Thankfully, in learning lessons over the years, having those special operation units will go in to get us when we're in trouble," an FDNY official stated.
