Firefighters battle Brooklyn blaze
Firefighters continued early today to battle a massive warehouse fire in Brooklyn at an historic US waterfront complex containing a building once home to the world’s largest rope factory.
Department historian John Mulligan said the fire was the biggest – exclusive of the World Trade Centre – since a 19-alarm fire at Brooklyn’s St. George Hotel in 1995.
The 10-alarm blaze broke out at about 5.30am local time yesterday and had not been brought under control more than 20 hours later. Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said it would be investigated as possible arson.
Plumes of smoke, smelling at times of wood, rose in a huge black cloud visible for miles.
The ruined warehouse complex was part of an area marked for redevelopment as high-rise housing. The fire consumed part of the former Greenpoint Terminal Market, which had been proposed for city landmark status and once home to the rope maker, American Manufacturing Company.
Fourteen firefighters suffered minor injuries, no civilians were hurt and there was no need to evacuate the area, authorities said.
Fire officials said the warehouse complex on West Street between Quay and Noble streets – measuring 200 feet by 800 feet – was officially unoccupied, though it was unclear whether squatters were living there.
