Fire Rips Through Gravesend Home – Just Before Sale

GRAVESEND – A multi-million dollar Gravesend home that was just about to close on a sale suffered a serious fire Wednesday afternoon, causing heavy damage to the kitchen and numerous windows of the modern home, fire officials said.

The house at 1944 East 1st Street was recently sold, according to real estate brokers from Wolf Properties, and was expected to go to closing in July. No injuries were reported in the fire, according to officials.

The fire broke out shortly after 1 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire in the rear kitchen and the atrium which features high ceilings and large glass windows.

The fire went to an all-hands, bringing 50 firefighters and EMS crews. The fire was knocked down within 20 minutes, but by then the flames had caused serious damage to the kitchen, the atrium, and the top floor of the house. Numerous windows were also broken during the fire.

The owners of the home, who were not immediately identified, said they were just moving some tropical fish the other day and had left several behind to be moved soon. It was unknown the condition of the fish, but the owners said they were disappointed with the fire and called it “very bad timing.”

Fire officials could not say what caused the fire and it is under investigation.

According to the real estate web page Zillow, similar houses in this community are selling for $2-3 million.