Fire at Hardware Store in Prospect Heights Kills One, Ravages Building
As we’re sure you are all aware, there was a horrible fire at 265 Flatbush Avenue Wednesday morning. One man died, and at least eight were injured. The fire appears to have reduced the building to a shell. Flatbush Hardware, on the ground floor, and the grocery store next door are both closed, according to…
As we’re sure you are all aware, there was a horrible fire at 265 Flatbush Avenue Wednesday morning. One man died, and at least eight were injured. The fire appears to have reduced the building to a shell.
Flatbush Hardware, on the ground floor, and the grocery store next door are both closed, according to reports in DNAinfo, The New York Times, and elsewhere. The fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring in the hardware store’s neon sign, they said.
A reader sent in this photo and said “Heartbroken about this. The building housed one of our last mom and pop hardware stores, Jamaican owned. I hope everyone got out safely.”
I heard about this yesterday. I love this hardware store. They have always been so helpful and nice. I think the man that died was connected to the store to the left. It’s all very sad.
Yeah it’s the combustible materials. When I worked for HD back in 1995 then had done a fire safety test on one of the HD stores. We got to watch the video as part of the fire safety training. They lit the fire in the paint dept and the entire store burned to the ground in less than 10 minutes, and it was +/-40k sq ft. it burns very quickly, very hot; they emphasized getting people out of the store instead of trying to put out a fire.
It’s easy to spread when it starts in a place with so much combustibles. Think about what is in a hardware store: paint thinners, aerosol cans, rope, tarp etc etc etc. There were 230 firemen on the scene, I’m sure they got there quickly. Difficult to navigate the store due to narrow aisles and lots of merchandise. Plus I’m sure the apartments above were filled with flammable goods as well.