The FDNY battled a massive 3-alarm fire at an auto body shop in Willets Point on Monday afternoon.
The first call came at 4:17 p.m. after the fire broke out at 127-02 35th Ave., and arriving units observed heavy fire and smoke conditions. After the fire got into tires stored in the back of the shop, the FDNY signaled a second alarm as a plume of black noxious smoke could be seen for miles. It went to a third alarm, bringing 33 units and 138 firefighters and EMS personnel to the last vestige of the Iron Triangle, just east of Citi Field, bordered by Northern Boulevard.
“There was a lot of tires and debris in the rear,” FDNY Deputy Chief Christopher Ritchie said. “Again, heavy fire, heavy smoke. We did a great job.”
Firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading to other businesses, but it wasn’t easy. “At one point, we had a question of stability, so we pulled all the units out,” Ritchie said. “We operated with tower ladders to continue the extinguishment. Once we were sure that was all extinguished and could continue, we sent units back in to do all our searches.”
No civilians were hurt, but one firefighter suffered minor injuries. The fire was brought under control at 6:23 p.m. FDNY fire marshals will determine the cause of the fire.
Inspectors from the city’s Department of Buildings were called to the scene in the evening at two fireproof, commercial steel structures at 172-02 and 127-02A 35th Ave., where non-structural smoke damage was found to the structures.
Andrea Cohen, the owner of a nearby auto salvage yard at 127-43 Willets Point Blvd., was grateful for the rapid FDNY response.
“My husband was at the office at around four o’clock when the billowing black clouds came right over the whole business,” Cohen said. “Luckily, the fire was like kissing our property, but it stopped about half a foot away from us. It was really scary.”
She complained that the city had neglected the area for decades, with no sewers or street lights.
“You can forget about snow removal for us in the wintertime, but with all of the new construction all around us and the new soccer stadium right across from Citi Field for a fire, they come running,” Cohen said. “Thank God nobody got seriously hurt.”
