A five-alarm fire overtook a Red Hook warehouse complex on Wednesday night, significantly damaging the 150-year-old structure, according to city Fire Department officials.
FDNY received a call about the fire at 481 Van Brunt St. at around 11:35pm on Wednesday, according to Kevin Woods, FDNY Chief of Fire Operations.
When firefighters arrived minutes later, they found the warehouse, a four-story commercial building built in 1870 that sits across the street from the Food Bazaar supermarket, engulfed in flames, Woods said.
The fire was so large, the FDNY decided to attack the flames from the exterior. Since the four-story warehouse, which houses many artists studios, furniture stores, a gallery and other businesses, abuts the water, Marine 9, a fire boat, was called to help extinguish the fire, Woods said. About 250 firefighters and EMS personnel were on the scene.
The roof and fourth floor collapsed, and two firefighters sustained minor injuries and are doing okay, Woods said. Fire officials were told that the building was unoccupied when they arrived, he added.
Janice Weiss, a public relations coordinator for the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, an arts group that runs a gallery and rents studio space in the warehouse, said the organization was currently working with authorities to assess the damage and impact resulting from the fire.
"All I can say is we are completely devastated and do not know the extent of the damage at this point," Weiss said.
Many artists were getting ready to show their work ahead of the Red Hook Open Studios on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12, Weiss noted.
The fire is not yet under control, according to Woods.
Steven Carmona, a Red Hook resident and co-founder of Green Lung Studio on Commercial Street, said the warehouse served as a hub for Brooklyn artists, some who stored decades' worth of artwork.
"The possible loss of this building could change the identity of a part of Red Hook," he said.
The Red Hook Business Alliance, which supports businesses, nonprofits, artists and freelancers, started a fundraiser to help the artists and business affected by the fire. By Friday afternoon, over $87,000 has been raised. The fundraiser for BWAC can be found here, and to give to Hot Wood Arts, click here.
