A Red Hook warehouse is still smoldering Thursday morning after a devastating five-alarm fire burned through the night.
The blaze broke out at 481 Van Brunt St., which houses dozens of artist studios and small businesses, at around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 17, officials said. Flames quickly engulfed the top floors of the building and spread to the roof, forcing firefighters to evacuate.
“This type of construction is called heavy timber, it’s all wood … so, once these structural members start going, the fire takes over rather quickly,” said FDNY Assistant Chief Kevin Woods.
More than 200 firefighters worked through the night and two sustained minor injuries, according to the FDNY. As the sun began to rise, the extent of the damage became clear: the building’s roof had collapsed, and a section of the fourth floor had collapsed into the third floor.
The blaze had been largely under control by 6 a.m., but firefighters are expected to remain on the scene throughout the day on Thursday to extinguish hot spots and monitor for flare ups. The FDNY has called for an inspection of the building’s structural stability, records show, and fire marshals will investigate the cause and origin of the blaze.
It was not immediately clear how severe the damage was, or when and if tenants will be able to return. One local artist said it was “absolutely a devasting loss for our community.”
Janice Weiss, an artist and public relations coordinator at the nonprofit Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, said the team is “completely devastated,” and has not yet been able to assess the extent of the damage in its exhibition space.
“It’s cordoned off already, we can’t even get to the area,” she said.
BWAC’s fall show just opened on Sept. 13, she said, and the org — along with dozens of local artists — was gearing up for the annual Red Hook Open Studios.
Carly Baker-Rice, executive director of the Red Hook Business Alliance, launched a fundraiser to help support the artists and businesses impacted by the fire. Hours after the fundraiser went live, it had earned more than $12,000 in donations.
In a statement, Council Member Alexa Avilés said Con Edison was on the scene to inspect damage to electrical infrastructure, and that her office would “continue to monitor this situation and provide support to the impacted residents.”
This is a developing news story, check back for updates.
