Massive Fire Breaks Out in Greenwich Village Apartment Building, FDNY Says

GREENWICH VILLAGE — More than 200 apartments were evacuated when a major fire broke out in an East Ninth Street apartment building Wednesday afternoon and raged into the night, spewing thick clouds of smoke into the neighborhood, officials said.

The blaze started in 60 E. Ninth St. near Broadway at about 5:45 p.m., an FDNY spokesman said. Nearly 200 firefighters responded to the scene and brought it under control by 9:15 p.m., officials said.

#FDNY members are on scene of a 5-alarm fire, 60 East 9 Street MN. No injuries reported at this time pic.twitter.com/ngqH1M1RBR

— FDNY (@FDNY) June 28, 2017

Five firefighters suffered minor injuries, an FDNY spokesman said Thursday morning.

 

"I showed the Firefighters a picture of my dog, Finnegan, and they took my keys and went upstairs to the apartment to get him. When they came back down, I was so relieved and happy. I couldn't stop saying thank you," says Melissa Dibbs, who credits #Ladder11 for rescuing her dog and all other #FDNY companies who responded to the 5-alarm fire at 60 East 9 Street earlier this evening in Manhattan. More than 200 Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene to bring the fire under control.

A post shared by FDNY (@fdny) on Jun 28, 2017 at 5:24pm PDT

Building resident Camille Collett, 44, said she was in her apartment when the blaze started. 

“I was inside reading and all of a sudden smelled something," Collett said. "You could see the haze through the window."

She said the smoke appeared to be coming from the top floor and roof, adding that she was worried because there "are a lot of elderly folks" living in the building. 

The Red Cross said more than 200 households were evacuated from the flaming building, according to a release they sent out about 11 p.m. Wednesday night.

They were offering emergency assistance to the displaced as well, they said.

The fire may have started in a ground-floor restaurant, but fire marshals still have to make an official determination on the cause of the fire, FDNY officials said.

.@FDNY 5 Alarm Fire: E 9 St & Broadway, MN. Expect smoke & traffic/transit delays in area. People nearby avoid smoke, close windows.

— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) June 28, 2017

Large plumes of dark smoke could be seen billowing from the building's roof while firefighters worked to put it out. 

Closer shot of the fire in NYC, 8th and Broadway. The smoke is THICK! pic.twitter.com/96SJp6Em5y

— Tony Iliakostas (@ailiakostas) June 28, 2017

R and W trains were still bypassing Eighth Street-NYU Thursday morning, but 6 trains, which had been bypassing Astor Place, were running normally, officials said.

Due to ongoing FDNY activity at 8 St-NYU, R and W 8 St southbound entrance remains closed. Allow additional travel time.

— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) June 29, 2017

Falling glass outside entrance to the 8th St station, closed during FDNY activity at street level. pic.twitter.com/tQXecZTuEQ

— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) June 28, 2017