At approximately 6:38 a.m. Monday morning, FDNY units got a call for a fire at 265 Penn Street in Williamsburg. Units responded in three minutes and found heavy fire on the first floor extending to the second floor of the complex.
“We had over 100 Firefighters respond to this fire, and it became a 2nd alarm. Firefighters removed 17 victims from this fire building while the fire was still active, one of those victims being critical. The units had to stretch multiple hose lines to put the fire out. This was a very arduous process. Many people were taken out of the building via the interior, and others were taken out via portable ladders and tower ladders,” said FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief John Sarrocco from the scene of the fire.
FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Fred Villani said, “We were met with a large number of patients early on and almost all at the same time. Once the Firefighters rescued them, EMS personnel on the scene had to make rapid decisions on the severity of their injuries. One of the patients was critical and was immediately transported to the hospital by Hatzalah volunteers. We were lucky because we were about half a block from one of Hatzalah’s quarters, so we had plenty of help at the outset. FDNY EMTs and Paramedics, as well as Hatzalah volunteers, triaged the rest of the patients. We had 16 stable non-critical patients and one critical patient.”
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Hatzalah also got a phone call from the Chief Of The Fire Department and the Chief Of the EMS, saying, “We had never had such a beautiful scene working together Hatzalah; every member was so professional with their hearts and souls,” as reported by Williamsburg News.
The fire is under investigation at this time. May the injured have a speedy recovery and may we hear Besuros Tovos.
Hatzolah transported 11 yiden and a bunch of other RMAs and everything was done with respect and dignity, this was a huge kiddish hashem, and it shows again and again what Williamsburg Hatzolah is all about.
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) January 23, 2023
.@hatzalah and @FDNY are on scene at 265 Penn St, for a 2nd Alarm Fire with people and kids trapped, 1 patient is in traumatic arrest, Hatzolah is treating 8 patients, requesting additional Ambulances from surrounding areas. pic.twitter.com/48YsMyblKs
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) January 23, 2023
.@hatzalah and @FDNY were on scene at 125 Taylor St for a fire on the 17th Floor. pic.twitter.com/Mt9ZTaZD4n
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) January 15, 2023