SI Advance – August 12, 2015
by Mira Wassef
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Fire marshals are still investigating the cause of a suspicious fire that engulfed an abandoned building in New Brighton last week, according to the FDNY. Approximately 100 firefighters and 10-15 units responded to the two-alarm blaze on the second story at 33 Stanley Ave. last Thursday.
The emergency came in a 2:19 p.m. and the fire was placed under control about an hour later, an FDNY spokesman said.
There were no injuries reported.
“When we pulled up, there were flames coming out of all 10 windows,” said Chief Joe Harris from Battalion 22. “The exposure of the house next door was on fire, too.”
Everything in the home was destroyed and squatters were rumored to be in the building at the time of the incident, Deputy Fire Chief Fred Mallett said.
A young man at the scene, who claimed he lived in the house, was visibly distraught and repeatedly screamed, “I just lost everything I got.”
Neighbors could smell the smoke while in their homes, and by the time they went outside, the flames were already raging.
“I was inside and when I came out, the flames were really high,” one neighbor said. “The fire trucks were already coming up the street.”
After putting the fire out, dozens of firefighters remained at the scene to tear down the scorched wood on the second floor of the exterior.
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