On FOX the stupid congressman or councilman or whatever he is said the fires began because people didn't evacuate. He backed off when questioned by reporter ... said maybe because homes were close together. Duh!
In better days ...
Posted on 10/30/2012 1:30:15 AM PDT by LibertyRocks
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Firefighters are battling a six-alarm fire in the Breezy Point section of the Rockaway peninsula in Queens. Officials say the fire was reported at about 11 p.m. Monday and involves about 50 houses situated in a flooded Zone A area. A fire department spokesman says nearly 200 firefighters are currently at the scene. He says two people have suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...
* The title should read, “50 homes destroyed...”.
The article doesn’t give much specific detail on this particular fire, but it has been going on all night now, and firefighters are having a lot of trouble with it. I will post another link here if I find something that has more information.
Here’s a direct link to the photo slideshow with pictures from the scene of the fire. Since this is in a flooded area they can’t get the trucks there, and they can’t get water there either. Lots of fires reported besides this large one. Apparently, several square blocks are on fire.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/gallery?section=news&id=8866073&photo=1
FDNY is doing a great job — they rescued many people via boats when the fire just began in the Breezy Point neighborhood. Prayers for all of them.
Sadly, fires often result during floods because water and electricity do not mix well.
Yep, the newscasters are reporting that downed power lines are the most likely cause (can’t imagine many other causes). When it started the winds were still over 50mph and there really was no way to stop it...
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Prayers for an old stomping ground.
This is my hometown . . .
Here’s a link to a video of the Breezy fire:
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Breezy-Point-Rockaway-Beach-Fire-Hurricane-Sandy-176370491.html
And here’s a link to another fire further east on the beach near 116th
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=8865832#.UI9Z8qve0dm.facebook
In between these two fires is another at approximately 130th ... about 8 houses, restaurant and maybe the church.
The boardwalk is ripped apart ... parts of it are blocking entrance to my brother’s house.
They lost electric power at 7:15 last night. The Breezy fire didn’t begin until 11pm. I don’t think it’s electricial. I’ve been listening to the FDNY scanner all night. They were trying to get someone from the power company to turn off gas to the area.
The only good thing about this fire is that it is moving north and west. Once it reaches the bay, it’ll have nowhere to go.
Fire scanner is reporting odors of gas ... nursing home on 119th being evacuated as a result ... 200 block of 116th has odor too.
I am so sorry to hear that... It must be difficult to watch. I can’t imagine it.
Thank you for the links, I am sure others will want to see this coverage when everyone starts waking up. I imagine all of the news that will be coming out today is going to be worse than some expected, and definitely hard to see for so many...
Prayers are being said for your brother and all that may still be in harm’s way in the aftermath - and for all of those faced with the task of rebuilding afterwards.
I heard reports of gas odors in Brooklyn about an hour ago when I was listening to one of the scanners my friend had linked to. Interesting that the power was already out when it started. I wonder what set it off as I would think a gas leak would cause explosions, wouldn’t it? (Maybe not if the origin of the leak is under water though... I’m definitely not anywhere near an expert on these things - just hypothesizing!)
Right now I’m hearing reports from the scanner about primary electric wires down ...
What a mess!
On FOX the stupid congressman or councilman or whatever he is said the fires began because people didn't evacuate. He backed off when questioned by reporter ... said maybe because homes were close together. Duh!
In better days ...
Nobody should be in Breezy now. It is a great place, a barrier beach locked community co-op with bungalows and a few sand streets between Manhattan and Long Island and the Atlantic - the “point” with riptides and great views to match. The cars are all kept in Parking lots farther in. There are no real big buildings, no real streets - you have to leave to go to high school, etc - It’s quite special.
I have a friend who lived there and visiting was really fun. Roll out of bed and go swimming in the ocean. At night, go out on the boardwalk and look at Coney Island, right there.
Breezy isn’t that big and a fire of 50 homes is devastating. They had a twister last year and that was quite strange. It’s expensive to get a place but you can’t just buy there - you have to be recommended by community folks.
Or people using candles and/or kerosene lanterns in the dark...its how most of the big accidental fires in history have started.
Homes may not be covered by flooding due to natural disasters, but they are covered by insurance from a fire.
Unfortunately, when the fire started they reported that the FDNY had to rescue at least 30 people, if not more who were in the path of the fire. Like so many on threads here at FR yesterday there are, unfortunately, too many who did not take the warnings seriously.
I’m going through video on the link that Beach Babe put up a little bit ago... It looks devastating in so many areas. And that’s before dawn.
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