'Fire Fund' Set Up For Residents, Stores Displaced In Sunset Park

BROOKLYN, NY — A "fire fund" has been set up to help more than 30 families and two businesses that were displaced from their building after a three-alarm blaze earlier this week.

The fire— which broke out in a building on the corner of 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue Wednesday — left three people injured and took firefighters two hours to put out, according to reports and FDNY alerts.

It has left 34 residents and two stores unable to return to their building, according to the Sunset Park Business Improvement District.

"The entire building is under a full vacate order and they will not be able to return soon, if ever," organizers wrote on the GoFundMe. "...Our community is generous and always takes care of neighbors in need. Please give and encourage others to make donations."

The fire fund has set a goal of $75,000, all of which will go to the people impacted by the fire, according to the BID. As of Friday morning, it had raised $700.

Neighbors can also donate clothing and personal hygiene products to the families displaced by the fire by bringing them to Council Member Carlos Menchaca's office at 4417 Fourth Ave. The council member will be accepting donations between 12 and 5 p.m. Friday, 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, 12 and 5 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Community Board 7.

The Sunset Park fire was one of several multiple-alarm fires that broke out in Brooklyn and across the city this week.

Firefighters also battled a five-alarm blaze in Harlem and four-alarm fire on Lenox Road in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro pointed out that such fires are common as the seasons change. Three of the recent fires, like the Flatbush blaze, have spread to the cockloft, which often escalates it to a multiple alarm.

He said understaffing due to the city worker vaccine mandate did not impact the response.

"We have looked very carefully at these multiple-alarms that occur each and every year as the weather gets cold, and the performance of our members has been fantastic," Nigro said at a press briefing Thursday.

Only four of FDNY's 350 units were out of service as of Thursday, Nigro said, adding that on a typical day throughout the year as many as 20 units can be out of commission for training or maintenance reasons.

Find the GoFundMe for Sunset Park here.