3-alarm fire erupts at NYPD evidence warehouse
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Firefighters responding to a massive fire at a New York Police Department impound and evidence storage warehouse in Brooklyn on Dec. 13. Photo: Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
A on-going three-alarm fire burned parts of evidence storage warehouse operated by the New York Police Department (NYPD) at one of its impounds on Tuesday, according to Police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey.
Why it matters: The warehouse in Erie Basin Auto Pound in Red Hook, Brooklyn, houses vehicles and evidence — including DNA material — seized through police investigations, though the exact extent of the damage was not known Tuesday afternoon.
- Maddrey said the evidence "goes back a long time, 20, 30 years" and said the NYPD would produce an itemized list of the evidence contained in the warehouse.
- He added that no sexual assault evidence collection kits were stored in the warehouse.
- A cause for the fire, which was called in around 10:30 an ET, can not yet be determined until the fire is completely extinguished, the police chief said.
What they're saying: At least eight people suffered minor injures from the blaze, including three New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighters, three emergency medical services personnel and two civilians, FDNY Chief John Hodgens said at a presser Tuesday.
- "This fire is probably going to go on for a few days before we're able to fully extinguish it and get inside, possibly, to get to the deep-seated areas," Hodgens said.
- Hodgens estimated that most of the warehouses' contents were damaged "just based on the amount of fire we know is in there."
- The fire chief added that a section of the warehouse had collapsed and a full collapse is possible because of structural damage and the added weight of water used to suppress the blaze.
- The warehouse also contained "large amounts of combustible material," including lithium batteries inside electric bikes and scooters.
The big picture: FDNY firefighters attempted an internal attack on the fire but were rebuffed and switched to an external attack with nearby fireboats and engines, though Hodgens said the external attack had been less effective because the building is sealed.
- Maddrey said at least 14 NYPD service members worked at the impound as well as six contractors.
- The chief said contractors initially observed the fire in shelving inside the warehouse and alerted department personnel.
- "For right now, we do not know too much about it, so it will be an active investigation," he added.
- The NYPD did not say whether damages from the fire would affect other investigations.
Go deeper: New York City to begin hospitalizing mentally ill people involuntarily
