Late Saturday night, a devastating fire tore through a building on Graham Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, sending firefighters into action and leaving several families without homes.
The blaze began around 10:30 p.m. and quickly spread to neighboring buildings, filling the air with thick smoke and bright orange flames. Videos from the scene show firefighters working tirelessly as the fire consumed the top floor of one structure.
By the time the fire was under control—shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday—200 FDNY firefighters and EMS personnel had responded to the four-alarm inferno. Among the injured were three firefighters who were taken to local hospitals for treatment, while another person received care on-site.
FDNY Fire Chief Kevin Woods described the difficult fight firefighters faced. “The fire traveled heavily through the shared attic space and walls, spreading between three buildings, all of which are wooden row houses,” Woods explained.
Despite freezing winter conditions, firefighters were relieved that hydrants were functional, avoiding further complications. However, the aftermath was heartbreaking. Around ten families were displaced, with the Red Cross stepping in to help, offering assistance to at least three adults.
The building’s ground floor housed a business called City Chemist, a local beauty and pharmacy shop. Milton Ruperto, another neighborhood business owner, expressed his sorrow for those affected. “I know the owner and the people who work there. It’s tough to see something like this happen in our community,” he said.
As crews work to investigate the cause of the fire, neighbors are left grappling with the destruction and hoping for answers.
