Fire On Flatbush Avenue Leaves 1 Dead, Several Injured
My friend lives across street from St. Marks & Flatbush fire #ParkSlope. So tragic. Helicopter wake up no big deal. pic.twitter.com/QgEdZsLt5S
— Joanna Oltman Smith (@jooltman) January 21, 2015
A five-alarm fire broke out overnight on Flatbush Avenue, leaving one person dead and several others injured.
The FDNY tells us they got the call about a blaze at Flatbush Hardware, 265 Flatbush Avenue at St Marks Place, at about 3:30am on Wednesday. They say the fire seems to have started in the store, which is below some apartments.
One person has died and eight others were injured and taken to local hospitals — five with minor injuries, and three with serious injuries — because of the fire, which the FDNY says as of 7:30am is still not completely under control. NBC New York reports that two of those injured may have been police officers, who were treated for smoke inhalation.
The Daily News reports the deceased is Bassam Awad — who the NYPD reports was 46 years old — a local deli owner who lived in the building and reportedly jumped from his fourth floor apartment when the fire blocked his fire escape.
@TheStoopBK firefighters at Flatbush and Parks Ave, where a full building seems to be burn to the ground pic.twitter.com/G5mLeELjaD
— Alfred Astort ll*lNY (@AlfredAstort) January 21, 2015
Identifying information about the other victims is not yet available. Our thoughts go out to all who were affected.
NBC notes that Flatbush Avenue was closed from Prospect Place to Bergen Street. As of 7:41am, the MTA reports the B65 and B67 buses are experiencing detours.
The FDNY says the cause of the fire was not immediately known.