A rooftop blaze lit up Clinton Hill around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at 490 Myrtle Ave, sending heavy smoke and visible flames above the six-story building that has a Key Food on the ground floor. Neighbors pulled out their phones as ladder trucks, ambulances and fire crews packed the block, with smoke streaming over the intersection near Pratt Institute. By midafternoon, firefighters had the main flames under control, and tenants were allowed back into the building later that afternoon.
FDNY: Firefighters Contain Blaze To Roof
The Fire Department said the fire was contained to the roof of the building and that roughly 120 fire and EMS personnel responded, according to News12. Officials noted the structure has six apartment floors stacked above the grocery store, and tenants were seen heading back into their units at about 4 p.m., with no injuries reported.
Videos And Resident Accounts
Neighborhood videos showed thick smoke and flames shooting from the rooftop as crews worked to knock the fire down. A resident posting on Reddit said the building's roof deck and wooden furniture appeared to catch fire. Witnesses reported the smoke drifting southeast toward the Pratt campus while firefighters chased hot spots and checked apartments for any damage.
Heat Stretched Response, FDNY Official Says
Assistant Chief William Ventura told News12 that "intense heat always plays a role," and said the high temperatures forced crews to take extra time to get into position and work safely. His comments echoed ongoing department concerns that summer heat can complicate firefighting tactics and drag out on-scene operations.
Neighborhood Context
This is the latest sizable blaze to pull major resources into Clinton Hill this summer. In late June, a separate pre-dawn inferno at a nearby deli seriously injured a firefighter. Fire marshals are set to investigate the origin of the roof fire before the city signs off on remaining safety issues, and FDNY urged residents to follow any directions given by crews on the scene.
