Fire tears through Borough Park buildings, displacing families; vacate orders posted
According to the FDNY, 46 Units and 141 Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene at 5311 Fort Hamilton Parkway.
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A massive fire tore through buildings in Borough Park on Sunday afternoon, forcing several families out of their homes and leaving behind heavy damage.
It happened just before 2 p.m. on Fort Hamilton Parkway between 53rd and 54th streets.
Fire officials say the fire was first reported as coming from an e-bike shop on the first floor. But they later determined it actually started next door, inside a clothing warehouse, where boxes caught fire and quickly spread.
More than 140 fire and EMS workers responded. Video from the scene shows ladders stretched high onto the building, with firefighters on the roof working to get the flames under control.
Officials say no serious injuries were reported, though one firefighter was treated for a minor injury.
The American Red Cross says seven adults and three children were displaced. The group is now helping those families with emergency housing and financial assistance.
The city’s Department of Buildings has now posted full vacate orders on 5311 and 5313 Fort Hamilton Parkway, meaning no one is allowed inside as crews continue to assess the damage.
As of Monday, crews remain on scene and the damage is still clearly visible — with charred parts of the building and merchandise pulled from inside now sitting on the sidewalk.
A deli owner next door told News 12 she called 911 after noticing smoke coming from under the gates.
For some families, the impact is just starting to sink in.
One man who has lived in the building for 12 years said he wasn’t home when the fire broke out, but came back to find heavy damage inside.
“When I came inside, everything was damaged — water everywhere, things all over the floor. My kids were crying, my wife was crying. It’s not easy right now,” he said.
He says his family is now staying in a hotel as they figure out what comes next.
Fire marshals remain on the scene, and the investigation into what sparked the fire is still ongoing.
