Fire Takes Out Top Floor on Cambridge Place

Hard to believe that the lower floors were not damaged. Usually lower floors are soaked with a huge amount of water ruining most plaster and wood finishes.
Also the smell of a fire is difficult to abate from interiors. No way this house will be habitable for many many months. Everyone on the block is extremely fortunate that the fire did not spread.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 10:16 AM

whats up with the fires on cambridge? It's a two block street. Is there some pyromaniac club headquartered there?

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 11:12 AM

I live just 2 houses from the fire. I was woken up around 3:30am to a woman shouting "fire, fire!" At that time the flames were shooting out of all 3 windows on the top floor, and the firemen arrived maybe 10 minutes later and quickly put it out. We were very lucky that no one was in the top floor and the fire didn't spread. Any word on the cause of the fire?

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 11:36 AM

The fire was crazy hot! We live 2 houses down and when we were outside before the fire department came, you could feel the heat 3 stories below. Smoke was bellowing down the street and flames were flowing out the windows, sending debris down and melting the AC unit in the window. The flames did set fire to the neighboring roof. #103. I would like to mention that the fire department was very quick to the scene and had the fire under-control with in minutes. We counted more than 6 fire trucks, 4 with ladders all with in 5 minutes of the call.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 12:51 PM

Thanks for the advice, brooklynnative. I've worried about this too but have failed to do anything about it. Can a plumber handle this task? I've also seen vent cleaning devices advertized in those skymall magazines you get on plane trips: (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102100498&c=10430).

Anybody out there ever tried one?

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 12:52 PM

Just open the drier vent and vacuum it. put on extra long vacuum attachments if you need it. That's what the vent cleaners do, they vacuum the vents. They clean ac and heating vents that are very long, a drier vent is not that long.

If had not been for the quick work of the NYFD, many houses would have been burned to the ground. These buildings are made entirely of wood behind their brownstone facades. Old, dessicated wood and horsehair plaster.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 1:40 PM

1:40 underneat my brownstone facade is brick. Maybe you're refering to the siding homes with california stucco for the brown stone look.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 1:50 PM

So glad to hear everyone is ok. Anyone know if the family down stairs needs anything? we live on the block and are willing to help if needed. i'm really impressed with the FDNY's response; quick and calm. They had the situation under control within minutes.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 2:31 PM

It's the walls that are made of plaster and wood, behind the front facade & brick exterior walls.

Also, my brother is a firefighter and he tells me the truly scary thing is if the fire reaches the cuckold, which is the area between the top floor ceiling and the building's roof, which seems like it was imminent in this fire, if not for the fast response time. If the fire gets into the cuckold, it can travel very fast xdown any vents etc. in the home and jump out almost anywhere as well as travel across the party walls into the cuckolds of adjoining homes, avoiding immediate detection.

Luckily that didn't happen in this case!

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 2:37 PM

"Also, my brother is a firefighter and he tells me the truly scary thing is if the fire reaches the cuckold, which is the area between the top floor ceiling and the building's roof, which seems like it was imminent in this fire, if not for the fast response time."

No one wants to be cuckolded.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 2:48 PM

The cornice is gone now. it was sad to watch something so old burn away. The neighbors next door, between me and the fire, said he could smell something burning from the time he got home around 7, but had no idea where it was coming from, until 3:45am.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 3:20 PM

i wish all those "willing to help neighbors" would just ring thier neighbors god damn bell or leave a note.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 3:54 PM

The couple lived on the second floor.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 4:19 PM

we're at work, not a home right now.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 4:20 PM

Between the brick and brownstone fronts and the brick rears, these houses are entirely of wood, not just the interior walls but also the floor joists, the floors, the stairs, and the roof.
Alo the correct term is "cockloft". a cuckold is a man whose wife is sleeping with other men. Just FYI.

Professor Banister Fletcher

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 6:12 PM

underneat my brownstone facade is brick.

'underneat' you scalp your head is brick.

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 8:48 PM

So many angry people. Whoever offered to help is awesome, thoughtful, generous, and I'm sure will be doing so without anyone's unnecessary advice.

I'm down for the cause too. email me if you need hands, feet, or just general contact info for stuff I might be able to help with but can't think of right now . . . izmonk (at sign) g m a i l dot com

Posted by: guest at February 20, 2008 9:36 PM

Hi, I'm the owner of 101 Cambridge. Thanks to everyone's well wishes and offers to help. I have traveling out of the country, and am on my way home now; I live(d) in the lower duplex. The upper duplex was rented by a brother and sister. Yes, the cornice was destroyed by the fire, and there is apparently water damage down to the basement. I'm not sure when the house will be habitable again, but the fire damage was limited to the top floor.

Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 4:00 AM

Owner, all the best to you. Keep us posted.

Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 1:28 PM