FDNY says parked car in front of hydrant slowed response to massive fire at Bronx small businesses
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Bronx (WABC) -- Several small businesses were destroyed in a devastating fire on Thursday morning -- and firefighters say their efforts were hindered by a car parked in front of a hydrant.
The fire happened just before 8:30 a.m. near Jerome Avenue and West Burnside Avenue. The fire escalated to five alarms, prompting a large response from the FDNY.
Video from NewsCopter 7 showed firefighters on scene using water hoses to douse the fire as flames sent plumes of smoke billowing into the surrounding neighborhood. Left behind were the smoldered remains of what was an optical center, a deli, a pharmacy and several restaurants.
Multiple businesses were also susceptible to the spread of the flames given that they are all in a row. According to the FDNY, the fire spread from a restaurant through the cockloft, damaging six businesses.
During a Thursday afternoon press conference, FDNY Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry said a vehicle parked in front of a fire hydrant near the scene slowed down firefighters' ability to access water. The FDNY has issued a summons to the driver of the parked car.
"If you think that parking on a fire hydrant is a convenience, it's not, it's a recipe for death," said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker.
There are currently no injuries as a result of the fire.
Eyewitness News spoke with deli owner, Saliman Musaid, who says he was inside one of the impacted businesses, Finest Deli, at the time of the fire. The man says he was preparing for work early this morning when he noticed flames coming from a restaurant behind the deli.
Musaid says he tried to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, but it did not work, forcing him outside as the flames ripped through his business.
"I feel very bad, I lose my store now. I don't know, all my work, and now is where it going," Musaid said.
The man told Eyewitness News that he has worked at the deli for seven years.
The fire also ripped through Jessica Betancourt's optical center.
"I was devastated. I was on the floor crying because at the end of the day this is my business," said Betancourt, the owner of Bronx Optical Center.
It's a business that already endured hardship just five years ago.
"During the pandemic when there was social unrest, Burnside Avenue was one of the corridors hit by looting and just a lot of these businesses lost a lot of their merchandise and a lot of their goods," said City Councilmember Pierina Sanchez.
Betancourt said she's going to try to breathe life back into the business she proudly built, for a second time.
"It's going to be hard, more difficult than the looting to recover, but I have a lot of faith and we're going to keep on going," Betancourt said.
The fire has also resulted in the loss of many jobs.
"This is 33 families who work in the restaurant. Now it's nothing, everybody has nothing right now.," said Evelyn Bonilla, a worker at La Casa Mofongo.
The silver lining is that there were not injuries or deaths.
Fire marshals are now trying to determine the cause of the fire.
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