A smoky fire in an electrical meter room at The Bay Terrace shopping center forced the evacuation of several storefronts during lunchtime on Wednesday, June 25.
Police and firefighters responded to a 9-1-1 call at approximately 12:30 p.m. and cleared the Lois Christie & Co. Salon
“We had just come in to work and they ordered us out of the building. We had no idea there was a fire,” a small group of Verizon employees said in unison.
They watched helplessly as pungent smoke billowed from the front door of their workplace while an alarm klaxon punctuated the comings and goings of firefighters.
Security personnel and police from the 109th Precinct blocked access to the area immediately around the scene, cutting off access to several stores, including the Outback Steakhouse.
“We noticed a cloud of smoke and we had to get out,” said Amanda Barnikeo, a colorist at the salon. “I hope it’s okay - I’ve been here three years and I love it,” she said, adding, “What I’m really worried about is my clients. I was only halfway done with a woman’s hair color, and she’s been sitting out here for a half hour.”
Moments later, the technicians and patrons were relieved to learn that arrangements had been made to get them rinsed at a nearby shop, Studio Z, on Bell Boulevard.
According to a knowledgeable source, the smoke came from a steel electrical cabinet in a utility room, which also contained electrical meters at the back of the building, between Christie’s and Verizon.
There were no visible signs of fire at the scene and although firefighters stood by outside the meter room with a hose, they did not douse the room with water.
