A three-alarm fire broke out the evening of July 1 in the South Bronx neighborhood of Port Morris, resulting in four firefighters being transported to area hospitals.
Heavy smoke was reported billowing out of the single-story commercial building at 800 East 136th Street just after 6:45 p.m. The smoke carried at least three blocks away from the site.
Units used three tower ladders and multiple hose-lines to knock down the main body of fire and FDNY was also observed using a drone high above the flames. In all, 108 fire and EMS personnel responded, with vehicles temporarily blocked traffic on nearby streets. The fire was deemed under control at 10:13 p.m.
According to local residents, the business that caught fire was a wood shop that was also a site for loading produce onto pallets for distribution. The business was reportedly closed during the height of the fire.
The smoke, flames and heavy FDNY, EMS and NYPD presence drew the attention of nearby residents who gathered behind police tape along East 136th Street and Willow Avenue. One man residing at a Department of Homeless Services shelter on that corner said he happened upon the incident on his way back to the building.
“It was just the smell [first],” he said, “and next thing you know, it was the sirens.”
FDNY declined to provide information on the condition of the four injured firefighters, but the injuries were reported to be minor. Bronx Times reporters returned to East 136th Street at Willow Avenue on the morning of July 2 and found it remained behind police tape, but the other side of the block on Walnut Avenue was open. A few FDNY and NYPD vehicles were still on site.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
