Eight people, including six firefighters, were hurt Tuesday when a 3-alarm fire broke out inside a police evidence facility in New York City.
Fire Chief John Hodgens stated the FDNY would be working for days to put out the blaze at the NYPD Evidence control and impound warehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
The fire at the evidence warehouse at 700 Columbia St. was reported at 10:37 a.m., and Hodgens stated during a press conference that FDNY came but could not quickly put out the blaze.
Before the fire is completely put out, Hodgens estimates it will have burned for several days. He added that “a lot of combustible material” was stored there.
The compound, according to NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, contained “primarily evidence” and “a lot of biological material,” such as DNA and evidence acquired from “previous crimes.”
20–30 years of evidence, he estimated. He added that several automobiles and electric bicycles were stored in the warehouse where the blaze broke out.
We don’t know how bad the damage is inside yet,” he remarked on Tuesday. A contractor at the warehouse where the fire started called 911, he said.
The specific circumstances surrounding this incident remain unclear, Maddrey reaffirmed.
Firefighters fought the blaze, with some attempting an “internal fire attack,” but were ultimately unable to do so because the fire was too large, as Hodgens put it.
He said the fire department was “overwhelmed” and resorted to an outside assault. As of Tuesday night, the fire has injured three members of the NYPD, three members of the FDNY, and two civilians.
Hodgens assured them that their wounds were relatively minor. Hodgens added that three fireboats helped douse the blaze with water.
He said that drones were also being used to help determine the most effective areas to spray water.
Tuesday afternoon, some 150 New York City police and fire department officers responded to a call. They worked through the night to get the job done.
New York City Councilwoman Alexa Avilés confirmed the injuries and encouraged neighbors to exercise caution while cleanup continues.
“It’s possible that District 38 dwellers will spot a black plume of smoke rising from Red Hook. As a precaution, “On Tuesday, Avilés made a tweet.
A total of “[six] first responders and two civilians were hurt.” A few hours later, she tweeted an update in which she said, “It may take days to extinguish the fire totally, and [the] reason is still under investigation.”
Later, a portion of the warehouse gave way.
Source: FOX News
