West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result
Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Search the site

No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

AVAILABLE NOW!


HERE

AMID MASSIVE AMSTERDAM AVENUE FIRE, HEROIC BAR EMPLOYEES RACED TO FIND A BOY UPSTAIRS

March 4, 2017 | 9:54 AM
in NEWS
23

e's bar
Eduardo Velasco, Brady Byrnes, and Ralph Green of e’s Bar.

By Carol Tannenhauser

The FDNY arrived at last Friday night’s four-alarm fire on Amsterdam Avenue, between 84th and 85th streets, in roughly three to five minutes, but they were not the first responders. Already racing through two neighboring five-story, residential rental buildings – alerting the tenants to get out – were three employees of e’s Bar, located at street level. One carried a fire extinguisher.

“The original plan was to put the fire out,” laughed Brady Byrnes, 31, e’s manager, not knowing then that it would ultimately take 170 firefighters more than three hours to do so. Byrnes had something else on his mind, too. “I was thinking about this little boy – a red-headed kid who comes into the bar all the time and gets these carroway chips and water,” he said. “I know he lives on the 5th floor, so, when we ran in, I said we need to make sure that family’s out.”

“The first thing we encountered was a guy on the third floor who came running into the hallway, yelling, “There’s a fire in my apartment!’” recalled Ralph Green, e’s bartender. “The second he ran over to us, his door closed behind him and he screamed, ‘My keys are inside and my cat!’ He kept screaming, “My cat, my cat, my cat!” I’m still sick about it,” Green said. “I felt the door and it was red hot. I kicked it and my sneaker melted. Smoke started billowing out from underneath and the sides.”

“We didn’t know what’s going on in there,” said Eduardo Velasco, 38, a runner at e’s Bar, who was part of the rescue. “We just tried everything to let people know what’s going on, yell, “Fire! Get out of the building!”

On the fifth floor, around six p.m., Steve Munroe, 31, was finishing up a day of working from home, when he heard the commotion in the hallway and a muffled yell of, “Fire!” “There was no smoke, no smell, nothing seemed out of the ordinary,” he said, “but I instinctively grabbed my cat and my laptop, and, as I made my way down the stairs, I encountered the guys from e’s bar coming up the stairs.”

Byrne went to the boy’s apartment and kicked in the door. He laughed again when asked if he was a “kicking in doors kind of guy.” “Door probably weighs more than I do,” he said. “I was running on adrenaline. Thank goodness the family wasn’t home. But there’s no going back to their apartment,” said Erin Ballard, co-owner of e’s Bar. “It’s one of the ones that’s completely gone, down to the rafters.”

kim cooper
Kim Cooper.

“You never think it will happen to you,”’said Kim Cooper, the little boy’s mother, standing in e’s Bar on Monday, where generators are working nonstop to dry things out and the smell of burnt wires – allegedly, the cause of the fire – is still strong. E’s plans to hold a benefit for the victims of the fire as soon as they re-open — that could take about four weeks as they are in the process of replacing their ceiling, which was damaged by water.

“All we have is what we had on our backs,” Cooper said, “and those were spring things, because it was that 70-degree day! I’m wearing my friend’s husband’s coat! I look homeless. I am homeless, but I don’t feel it. I feel very loved.”

Our heroes feel that way, too. Social and other media lauded their selflessness. But Eduardo’s wife put it best when he arrived home the morning after the fire. “I love you very much,” she said. “You are my hero. Never, never do that again!”

Photo by Carol Tannenhauser.

Share this article:
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

23 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Shane Patrice
Shane Patrice
5 years ago

You guys are my heros. My family home burned down when I was a child and there’s a lot of work to be done in the recovery. I’m a licensed social worker living in the neighborhood & would be happy to help in the effort to support those who are burned out. Please email if I can be of service OonaShanley752@gmail.com

0
Reply
l
l
5 years ago

Wow! Definitely heroes.

0
Reply
lynn
lynn
5 years ago

Great story, these men are definitely heros! I know a young couple who were forced out of their apartments twice because of fire due to faulty wiring in the walls. Aren’t there any regulations requiring landlords to make sure everything is safe and up to date?

0
Reply
MKingsly
MKingsly
5 years ago

Really beautiful story…this is what makes the UWS such a special community..coming together to take care of others…
Westside Rag, please help to promote the fundraiser when E’s hosts so we can all take a bigger role in helping those effected.

0
Reply
AC
AC
5 years ago

Well written story. Congrats to our heroes and I’ll definitely be there to support the good cause come opening.

0
Reply
ron shapley
ron shapley
5 years ago

God bless you brave men !!

0
Reply
eric
eric
5 years ago

I salute these men for their heroism

0
Reply
CB
CB
5 years ago

Oh, man, bless these guys! I’ve never had a drink at E’s Bar, but I will now, as soon as they’re able to reopen.

Am so sad for the building’s residents. If anyone knows of a central place for donations (online or, for that matter, physical) please post!

0
Reply
kristina
kristina
5 years ago

does anyone know where donations can be made for families who lost their home? clothing, food, etc.?

0
Reply
Allison
Allison
5 years ago

Definitely going to eat at E’s this weekend! Brava, you guys!

0
Reply
SS
SS
5 years ago

How many in the family? Clothing sizes? How old is the little boy?

0
Reply
Beth
Beth
5 years ago

So proud of the staff of E’s, our own local heroes! They are the best!!!

0
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
5 years ago

Those guys are HEROES!!!!!! Great story. I am sorry about the cat, though.

0
Reply
Rita
Rita
5 years ago

Great guys!!!! 👍
What and where can we donate to help these families??
Please let us know.

0
Reply
Natali
Natali
5 years ago

Did the cat make it?

And yes, where can we donate?

0
Reply
Gonne
Gonne
5 years ago

Great story! is it true that the cat didn’t make it?

0
Reply
Lynette Baiocco
Lynette Baiocco
5 years ago

Love this story and glad all were safe. Will be looking for you at E bar to buy you a drink.

0
Reply
72nd Streeter
72nd Streeter
5 years ago

Yes please share donation info!

0
Reply
Paris Wyome
Paris Wyome
5 years ago

Are you going to respond to the questions below? I am sure many persons would like to know where to donate clothing, etc. and otherwise help the displaced persons.

0
Reply
West Sider
Author
West Sider
5 years ago
Reply to  Paris Wyome

Sorry, there have been some gofundme’s, including the one from E’s Bar: https://www.gofundme.com/HELPe-sBARNeighbors
There have been three others we’ve seen, but we haven’t vetted all of them:
https://www.gofundme.com/helpnadjabyron
https://www.gofundme.com/mrsvierahousefire
https://www.gofundme.com/maggie-medina-house-fire-assitance

WSR

0
Reply
kami
kami
5 years ago

Honorable men! We need more people like this is todays world. Also, support small business, once their Bar re-opens.
Please update with any information regarding donations for the displaced residents.

0
Reply
Erin
Erin
5 years ago

Thank You Everyone! We launched a Go Fund Me Account for the tenants today. https://www.gofundme.com/HELPe-sBARNeighbors
Much Love,
Erin, Ethan and the e’s BAR Crew

0
Reply
Paige Kelly
Paige Kelly
5 years ago

I would like to help

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

A Youth Basketball Team Grows on the Upper West Side
CRIME

A Youth Basketball Team Grows on the Upper West Side

February 2, 2023 | 3:46 PM
Changes at Fairway Raise Fears That New Ownership Is Shifting Policies
FOOD

Fairway President Refutes Charge They Tried to ‘Pull a Fast One’; ‘That Is Not Who We Are as a Company’

February 2, 2023 | 9:59 AM
Previous Post

FIGHT THE SCOURGE OF DOG POOP WITH NEW SIGNS

Next Post

MORNING BULLETIN: SCOOTER CRASH LEADS TO LAWSUIT, WARMEST FEBRUARY EVER RECORDED IN CENTRAL PARK

this week's events image

Explore Your Favorite Subject

20th precinct 24th precinct american museum of natural history animals art bicycling bulletin central park closings columns community board 7 coronavirus crash crime development dogs events fdny fire food gale brewer helen rosenthal history jcc lincoln center monday bulletin morning bulletin nypd openings pedestrian safety photography photos politics public schools pupper west side real estate restaurants retail riverside park silver stars fitness snow sponsored subway upper west side uws

CITY NEWS

Brick Underground
City Limits
Eater
Gothamist
NY Daily News
NY Post
NY Times

LOCAL RESOURCES

Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group
Central Park Conservancy
CB7
Community Education Council 3
Assembly District 67
The New York Historical Society
Riverside Park
West End Preservation

UWS Blogs

Bloomingdale History Central Park Blogger
North River Notes
Next Post
MORNING BULLETIN: SCOOTER CRASH LEADS TO LAWSUIT, WARMEST FEBRUARY EVER RECORDED IN CENTRAL PARK

MORNING BULLETIN: SCOOTER CRASH LEADS TO LAWSUIT, WARMEST FEBRUARY EVER RECORDED IN CENTRAL PARK

ONE INJURED IN CRASH ON WEST END AVENUE

ONE INJURED IN CRASH ON WEST END AVENUE

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT STATUE URGES ‘UNITY’ AHEAD OF WOMEN’S STRIKE

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT STATUE URGES 'UNITY' AHEAD OF WOMEN'S STRIKE

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT US
  • WSR SHOP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.