Fire on Second Street

A fire erupted in a Second Street apartment Monday night, but was quickly extinguished. No tenants were hurt, however two fire fighters sustained minor injuries while putting out the flames. 

“It all happened so quickly,” said Derrick Barner, 34, who was on the computer in the apartment he grew up in, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, when he realized his neighbor’s unit was on fire.

The fire department received a call at 9:33 p.m. and the conflagration, which was contained to one apartment on the third floor of a four-story building, was under control by 9:58 p.m.

"We heard a banging noise, like our neighbor was trying to hang a picture on the wall. My mother opened our door, saw smoke and screamed, 'Fire!'" Barner said. "A girl ran up from the stairs yelling ‘That’s my apartment!’ She unlocked her door and thick black smoke poured out.” 

Barner said the girl then closed her door and his mother brought everyone inside to use the fire escape, however they decided to take the stairs. 

One officer at the scene told neighbors the flames sparked when a lamp fell over, but fire officials could not confirm whether that was the cause.