Photo by Mary Habstritt.
A four-alarm fire spread through several floors of a six-story building on 76th street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West on Thursday evening.
The blaze at 23 West 76th street was called in at 6:13 p.m. and escalated quickly, with fire reported on floors 2 through 6. As the flames spread, 39 units and 170 firefighters arrived on the scene. They broke a whole in the roof and smoke poured out.
Seven firefighters had minor injuries, but there were no civilian injuries reported and no one appeared to be left in the building, FDNY told us. Firefighters found no one left in the building after a search. The cause was still unclear. It was not under control as of 8:55 p.m. Helicopters circled in the sky above.
The fire may have started in the kitchen of a fourth-floor apartment, said Emily Baer, who was on the scene and talked to people who had been in the building.
Tony Klatt and Monica Buccheri (pictured below) were the last two people out of the building, Emily tells us. They took their two cats with them: Sir Eliot and Indy. The firefighters put Indy on a stretcher and wrapped the cat in blankets, because he was understandably freaking out.
Photo by Emily Baer.
Photo by Emily Baer.
#Breaking: Fire burning on W76th street bw Columbus and CPW up to 4 alarms @abc7ny pic.twitter.com/AQY2lTy5GY
— Jay Holder (@jauntingjourno) March 20, 2014
4-alarm fire on 76th and Central Park West, with 40 pieces of equipment comprising at least 20 trucks. Wow! pic.twitter.com/Alnr2V7WRN
— Dr. Philip Domenico (@DrWillip) March 21, 2014
We will be posting more photos and information.
Red Cross volunteers and staff responded and ultimately made contact with 20 households.
If you think this can’t happen to you, think again–and buy renter’s insurance with replacement-cost and loss-of-use clauses. The peace of mind is priceless.