Lower East Side Synagogue Destroyed In Fire, FDNY Says

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — Dozens of firefighters battled a fire in a Lower East Side synagogue for hours Sunday evening before the blaze was under control, according to the city's fire department.

The fire broke out at Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue, 6o Norfolk St., on Sunday evening. Firefighters first responded to the blaze just after 7 p.m. on Sunday, according to tweets from the city's fire department. The fire was extinguished by 12:02 a.m. on Monday, a fire department spokesman told Patch. At least 130 firefighters battled the blaze on Sunday night before eventually extinguishing it.

The synagogue has been closed since 2008, and was vacant at the time of the fire, according to the department.

The fire caused two minor injuries to firefighters, the spokesman said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

People in lower Manhattan posted photos on Sunday evening showing large clouds of smoke coming from the Lower East Side.

Here's the latest Patch coverage on the Lower East Side fire:

• LES Synagogue Fire Investigated As City Records Reveal A Decade Of Safety Fears
• LES Synagogue Fire Being Investigated As Arson, NYPD Says
• Lower East Side Synagogue Fire: Teen Charged With Arson, Police Say

For more Lower East Side news, subscribe to Patch news alerts here. This story has been updated with new information throughout.

Lead photo courtesy of Kyle Harder on Twitter; second image courtesy of Hayley Richardson.