TriBeCa Fire: Huge Blaze Burns Through 'Historic' Building; 12 Firefighters Injured

TRIBECA, NY — More than 200 firefighters battled a multi-floor fire at a building that local preservationists mourned as "historic" on the corner of Murray and Church streets for hours Friday night. Twelve of the firefighters sustained minor injuries in the blaze, according to the FDNY, and were seen being rushed away from the scene on gurneys as thick, black smoke filled the neighborhood.

All the firefighters were transported by ambulance to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, the FDNY said.

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The fire broke out around 6:47 p.m. on the second floor of the five-story retail and apartment building at 24 Murray St., according to the FDNY. As it burned, it spread to several levels of the building, and eventually made its way to the top, a spokesman said. Hot flames could be seen shooting from the building's roof; neighbors spotted smoke billowing across Lower Manhattan for blocks.

Fire officials finally declared the blaze "under control" shortly after 10 p.m.

Lynn Ellsworth, chair of Tribeca Trust, a local nonprofit that advocates for neighborhood preservation, described the burning structure as a "humble 'utilitarian' 5-story store and loft building, known as 111 Church, or 27 Park Place." According to her research, the building dates back to the mid-1800s.

"As the helicopters hover [overhead], as the firemen do their heroic work, and as the tourists take photographs, I cannot bear to watch," she wrote in a statement sent to Patch. "I see the smoke from my window. Part of our city's collective history is burning. I mourn this building's loss and feel also grief at what I know will replace it."

The building is located just blocks from City Hall. A branch of the Famous Famiglia pizza chain is located on the ground floor, although it's technically listed at a separate address (26 Murray St.). It also hosts the old Downtown Rifle and Pistol Club.

The cause of Friday night's fire wasn't immediately clear.

Ellsworth of the Tribeca Trust said her nonprofit has been pushing for the city to include the building that caught fire in the Tribeca East Historic District, which would prevent its owner from tearing it down or changing its facade. She described the rich history of 24 Murray St. in a statement issued as the building still burned Friday night:

This is a tragic loss for Tribeca. The building was one of the last 'ordinary' store and loft buildings from the Civil War that stood outside our historic district borders. If it is irrevocably damaged, it is very likely that a skyscraper will replace it. It was filled with tiny businesses, the small kind that once filled the neighborhood and gave Tribeca it's original gritty character for more than 150 years.

Our research suggests it was built in 1851. It housed — during the 19th-century — many publishing companies such as "The Poultry Monthly", the Scientific Publishing Company, and The Christian Union, as well as various lawyers, engravers, manufacturers of knives and razors, and instrument makers. There is a hint in the historical record that part of it was a boarding house in the 1860s. The ground floor often was rented to cafes, and today it had pizza parlor and manicure shops. There was once a billiard cafe as well. It was famous from the 1930s all the way to the 1970s for its basement rifle range.

How could the owner have kept it so dilapidated that it became vulnerable to such a fire? Of course, it turns out we do not know the name of the owner, as it was hidden behind an LLC, suggesting some element of real estate speculation. If anyone does know the owners, please let us know who they are.

Readers can reach out to Ellsworth at lynnellsworth@tribecatrust.org.

This story has been updated. Lead image courtesy of the FDNY