Residents displaced after fast-moving fire in Crown Heights apartment building

Josh Einiger Image
Saturday, May 27, 2023
Fire displaces residents in Brooklyn apartment building
A fast moving apartment building fire has displaced some residents in Brooklyn.

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A fast-moving fire that ripped through an apartment building in Brooklyn has left some residents displaced this Memorial Day weekend.

Flames shot from the fifth-floor window of the building on 1281 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights just after 8 p.m. on Friday.

Firefighters broke out windows to vent the smoke in a line of apartment - including Tiffany Smith's apartment.

"I'm just like overwhelmed," said Smith, who came home to find much of her apartment trashed after the fire broke out next door.

Fire officials were able to get the fire under control in less than an hour and contain the worst of the damage to the apartment where the fire started.

However, like Smith, some residents must now deal with the aftermath.

"They came in from next door - his window broke through...destroyed everything," she said.

Though it was placed under control in a half hour, the damage has caused Smith's headache to last a lot longer than that.

"It's horrible - it's a mess. Now I just need to figure out what's next," Smith added.

The flames shot from the fifth-floor window of the building on 1281 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights just after 8 p.m. Friday. Josh Einiger has more.

Firefighters were so quick to wrap up their work that they were gone before Red Cross could arrive - but they did, and they will be supporting Smith and her family until they can get back on their feet.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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