Flames and smoke erupt from a two-story factory on Evergreen Ave. and Pilling St., near a train car full of oil and the L subway line. — Photos by Jonathan Mena
A four-alarm fire engulfed a two-story factory this evening, forcing the evacuation of residents and the suspension of the L train.
UPDATE: As of 10am, firefighters are still working at the site, and smoke is still pouring out of the Evergreen Avenue side. The L train is bypassing the Bushwick-Aberdeen station in both directions, though commuters say the Wilson stop is full of smoke. An FDNY Building Collapse Unit is on the scene.
Firefighters from Engines 231 and 271 were the first to respond to the fire, which started around 6:00pm. The fire, which originated at Rosewood Inc., a kitchen cabinet factory at 747 Evergreen Avenue, was so intense firefighters had to enter the building from Chauncey Street, around the corner from the factory’s entrance. Firefighters used a saw to cut down a metal roll-up door to enter; the heat of the fire could be felt from across the street.
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To compliate matters, an Auxiliary Officer from the 83rd Precinct told BushwickBK that a train carrying oil was behind the warehouse and FDNY was working to move it away from the flames. Due to the close proximity to the L train tracks, subway service was suspended from Myrtle-Wyckoff to Broadway Junction in both directions.
From the street, firefighters could be seen on the roof and on ladders spraying water at the flames. Overhead, an NYPD helicopter hovered above to provide FDNY information on the fire.
Crowd control was an issue when residents began to congregate in front of the warehouse to snap pictures. Detectives from the 83rd Precinct had to quickly move the group back as the smoke and flames began to intensify. Residents who lived close to the warehouse were also evacuated.
A firefighter from Engine 231 told BushwickBK it was too early to know the cause of the fire but that they faced "heavy fire volume and the back of building has collapsed." Employees of the cabinet factory congregated on Moffat Street and Evergreen Avenue in disbelief. "We just want to go see what is going on but the police won’t let us," said the worker. When asked what might have sparked the blaze, the worker speculated it may have been electrical.
Five hours later firefighters are still battling the flames. A local who came to look at the mayhem said he could see the smoke from his job in Queens. No injuries have been reported and the investigation is still ongoing.
Yorkaholic July 2nd, 2010 at 6:41 am
Small correction: It’s a 5-alarm Fire. For photo chronicle click here
Jimmy Legs July 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
when i took the J train this morning the car smelled like smoke, was it from the fire? it would be weird since the J doesn’t go right by there but perhaps it caught some smoke going by bway junction.