UPDATE: Wednesday, December 10 at 12:45 p.m.: The Ascension Roman Catholic Church, which is on the same West 107th Street block where the fire took place on Tuesday, sent out the following message on Wednesday.
“There are 21 apartments in the building, and every resident has lost everything — not only from the fire itself, but from the extensive smoke and water damage as well,” Rev. Daniel Kearny wrote in an email to the church’s community. “Because the tenants have been displaced — now scattered among family, friends, and temporary housing throughout NYC — their individual needs are different, and in many cases, still unknown. For that reason, we are organizing a direct financial response so that each family can determine for themselves what they most urgently need to begin rebuilding their lives.”
The church’s goal is to raise $21,000, which would allow them to give each household a gift of $1,000 as a first step.
You can donate online — HERE. You can also bring a financial donation or supplies, including clothes, toiletries, and non-perishable food to the Ascension Church Rectory Office at 221 West 107th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam.
On Sunday, the church will host a free Christmas concert in honor of the tenants of 201 West 107th Street, where a collection will be taken, and the funds raised will be districted to the displaced tenants immediately following the concert.
The Department of Buildings issued a vacate order on Tuesday for 201 West 107th Street due to the damage, which means residents will have to find a new place to live. The Red Cross said it registered 24 households for assistance from the building, or about 34 adults and four children, according to ABC 7.
Councilmember Shaun Abreu, who represents the block where the fire took took place, has also promoted a fundraiser for the affected families, which you can find — HERE. Abreu told the Rag that more than $60,000 has come in so far for the tenants.
By Gus Saltonstall
Six people were injured after a major fire broke out Tuesday morning on the Upper West Side, according to the FDNY and photos from the scene.
The flames ignited around 8:20 a.m. inside 201 West 107th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam, an FDNY spokesperson told West Side Rag.
The fire began on the top floor of the six-story residential building, FDNY added.
The blaze escalated to a four-alarm fire as of 9:10 a.m., and 140 firefighters and emergency medical service workers fought the flames until around 10:30 a.m., when it was labeled as under control, according to the FDNY.
Three building residents and three firefighters sustained minor injuries and were all transported to a local hospital, FDNY said.
The FDNY is operating at a 3-alarm fire at 201 West 107th Street in Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/S3l5x4P6xr
— FDNY (@FDNY) December 9, 2025
“Upon arrival we had heavy, heavy fire on that top floor and through the roof, and fire heavily involved in three of the four apartments on the top floor, and some of the apartments below also have heavy damage,” FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said in a press conference outside of the building on Tuesday. “Heavy damage to these apartments. We had a heavy collapse of the roof into the top floor, and also of the parapet wall [the upward extension of the wall at the edge of the roof] into the street.”
Smoke from the Upper West Side fire was spotted from East Harlem on Tuesday morning.
Neighbors have been leaving donations for the residents at the Ascension Roman Catholic Church, which is also on West 107th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam.
Since the affected building is near the corner of Amsterdam Avenue, an alternative address for 201 West 107th Street is 960 Amsterdam Avenue, which is the home of the popular Thai Market and San Juan Pharmacy.
Following the fire, Thai Market is closed until January for renovations, according to its website, and San Juan Pharmacy is also temporarily closed.
The Fire Marshall is investigating the cause of the blaze.
This is a developing story, please check back in for updates.
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Hoping everyone got out safely.
Thank you again to the brave members of the FDNY.
Safety to residents and NYFD
Related only for NYFD activity: There was a fire in the Amtrak train tunnel in Riverside Park last night (12/08) at 109th St. Approx. 7:30pm, 5 or 6 NYFD trucks responded. Ongoing past 9:00pm.
Thank you for posting this! I smelt fire the evening before this fire at 9pm at 108th street and had been wondering if it could have been related to the fire this morning. Glad to know what it was.
Live in the area – if anyone knows of local non-profits that would support impacted people please respond here.
There is at least one GFM page. Search there may turn up more…
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-geoff-and-alix-start-over-after-the-107th-street-fire
Last I heard, Ascension Church is collecting money donations to be split evenly among the tenants.
Ascension announced this morning they were overwhelmed with generous donations – I’m so proud of our neighborhood.
Contact the 24/7 hotline at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
Get ready for new scaffolding there.
Because THAT’S the takeaway here. Amazing.
Weighing the fact that there was thankfully no loss of life, scaffolding is a minor detail. Priorities.
In that case we’ll just have 75 identical comments.
I think the vibrancy of public discourse could have sustained the loss of that particular comment, Sal.
My heart goes out to all of those affected on the block, and especially the injured. Just a terrible sight this morning. Can’t say enough about our incredible FDNY.
I feel terribly for those affected by this fire.
BUT
Is it too much to ask that the news media limit their helicopter coverage?
We were awakened by three circling news helicopters that stayed airborn above the neigbohood for hours on end simply to obtain a 20-second shot for their morning newscasts.
This was clearly an event that could be — and ultimately was — covered from the ground. It was not over water or in an inaccessible location, but on a wide Upper West Side avenue.
Obviously, police, or emergency services should avail themselves to any and all tools that they deem nessacary for such an operation, but s it truly necessary for news outlets to hover for two hours?
Meanwhile, residents across a large area — today, more than a 20-block radius — were subjected to an unrelenting din of helicopter rotor noise. The public-service value of this reporting is extremely limited compared to the anxiety and disruption caused by prolonged helicopter presence.
Tellingly, at exactly 10:00 AM, all three helicopters departed — not because the fire was out (it wasn’t), but because the newscast had ended.
And oH reaLLy, the unrelenting din all those fire engines made with their sirens and stuff! Terribly annoying when you’re trying to sleep. /s:
I once called the news station to complain about the noise and they did actually leave. The noise of those choppers is horrendous, which tells you how fake the sound was on episodes of M*A*S*H.
It is just a bit ironic that Bob uses the comment section of news media to complain about helicopters of that same news media. Methinks that Bob wants to see his comment in print but complains that the news media may upstage him by filming the fire from helicopters.
As far as I can tell, the West Sides Rag’s helocopter remained grounded during this fire
Speaking on behalf of the displaced residents, we’re terribly sorry to have disturbed your sleep.
At 9:00 in the morning, too – the fire wasn’t even reported till 8:40 a.m.
Due to crazy government regulation and red tape, it is easier for the news networks to fly helicopters than to use drones.
You are sure they all were news helicopters and not police helicopters?
Yes. Checked on Flightradar24. WCBS (N95TV), WABC (N77NY), WNBC
And there wasn’t a NYPD or FDNY helicopter watching the fire to make sure it didn’t move to another roof top?
Just saying that there’s a good reason for 1 emergency services helicopter to have been there?
Right, I assume the FDNY deployed firefighters to adjacent roof tops to check for a spreading fire.
It’s possible FDNY/NYPD was using their own drones on site, rather than using helicopters:
https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/news/Y73025/fdny-joins-partner-agencies-assess-drone-technology-operations-first-responders-new
I saw a drone in one live feed. I believe FDNY uses drones
Chris,
Right, I’d supposed that the FDNY or NYPD would also have used at least one drone.
All I was saying was that at least one manned emergency services helicopter had a very good reason to be there, which means the noise would have been hard to avoid.
Please repair this beautiful building quickly.
Likely to be demolished. I lived in a similar building and the interior staircase was cast iron and marble, the outer walls were brick, and everything else was just plain wood. But what compensation will the tenants be getting?
No likely about it, much will depend upon various factors including reports from DOB and others regarding structural integrity of entire building.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSDMtVXDk4G/
https://ocha.facilities.columbia.edu/city/new-york-ny/listing/201-w-107th-st-73356
Thai Market is closed until January.
Thai Market is now closed till June. Just an update.
That looks absolutely horrific. My condolences to all those affected. Thank God there was no loss of life — our firefighters are true heroes.
Do we know what caused the fire?
My money’s on someone falling asleep with a cigarette.
Mine is on the landlord.
Back in the 1980s there were numerous fires – all in buildings run by Sackman. Very suggestive of something beyond accidents.
usually this turns out to be a space heater or e-bike lithium iron battery fire.
For that fire to accelerate so quickly………..
On the roof?
I hope San Juan Pharmacy did not sustain a lot of damage &is able to reopen soon.
If you or anyone uses San Juan Pharmacy for their prescriptions, please know you can transfer your orders to Venus Pharmacy, which is located a couple of stores away. Just call your doctor and change pharmacy location.
I ate at Thai market on Sunday night – it was not shut or shutting for renovations before the fire.
There is absolutely no doubt that firefighters are HEROES!
What other donations/supplies might be helpful to the residents? Clothing? Food?
See the revised article above. Money is probably more useful than anything else, since folks can get what they need. Donations accepted at https://rcchurchoftheascension.flocknote.com/give/44867 But folks have been leaving warm clothes in the back of the church, too.
Anyone know the hours of when we can drop off donations? Do we know if they need particular items like for kids, etc.? Can we bring gently used items?
I’m thinking bottles of shampoo, tampons, combs, other toiletries and that kind of necessities because they will probably be inundated with clothes. If you bring food, bring powdered or boxed milk for families with children. It’s good to bring cereal, but then they have no milk to drink it with.
Council member Shaun Abreu sent text that included the following info:
Ascension Church is gathering funds with a goal of raising $1k for each of the 21 displaced families (60 people).
Cash or check donations (made out to Ascension Church, memo: 201 West 107th (https://www.google.com/maps/search/201+West+107th?entry=gmail&source=g)) can be dropped off at: the Ascension Church Rectory Office donation box located at 221 West 107th Street (https://www.google.com/maps/search/221+West+107th+Street?entry=gmail&source=g) between Broadway and Amsterdam.
If you are able, please bring donations by Saturday afternoon so that the gifts can be distributed promptly.
All the nouveau riche UWSider’s should make that at least $100,000 per tenant or donate a condo.
The equivalent of barn raising. Neighbors helping neighbors. My heart goes out to all the folks who have lost so much.
How so many comments have nothing to support the tragedy of so many losing so much and ignore the plea for donations by the local church to help them. WGAS about helicopters and other trivia.
Thank you so much for the link on how to donate. I went by the church yesterday but couldn’t find anyone there to take money.
For folks who can donate in kind, people are leaving warm clothes and things at the back of the sanctuary, too.
Please donate, everyone! These folks are our neighbors, and it could have been any of us.
There is at least one GFM page for donations to affected persons.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-geoff-and-alix-start-over-after-the-107th-street-fire
Please let us know the cause of the fire as soon as you know. Proud of everyone for coming together. I love the UWS, and we will get through this as a community.