A four-alarm fire broke out in a vacant warehouse on Staten Island, New York, on Saturday evening, forcing more than 200 firefighters and EMS personnel to respond to the scene.
The blaze, which began around 5:45 p.m., spread quickly inside the empty warehouse at 6581 Hylan Boulevard, prompting firefighters to go into a defensive operation. According to FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods, units encountered heavy fire throughout the building and set up multiple large-caliber stream tower ladders and handlines to combat the flames.
The warehouse, which has been vacant for five years, is located near several other structures on the Mount Loretto grounds, including the historic Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne. The church, which was famously featured in exterior shots of the 1972 film "The Godfather," suffered heavy damage, but firefighters were able to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the other buildings.
The fire was under control by around 8:30 p.m., and one firefighter suffered a minor burn injury to his leg. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Fire Marshal's office.
Firefighters worked in challenging conditions, with strong winds blowing embers that could have spread the fire to other buildings. Despite these conditions, they were able to prevent any additional structures from catching fire.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
View original reporting →
