Well, I'm back. Just half an hour ago, I heard a lone fire truck's siren somewhere but this is a very common thing to hear. Then I heard a helicopter. So, curious, I went out to take a look. Immediately upon stepping into the hallway of my large and elderly building, I smelled burning wood, but at first I thought it was incense that folks burn sometimes.
Then I went outside.
You can't really tell, but the firemen's helmets are covered in wet crud from insulation and ceiling debris.
Above photo--on your left: the fourth floor taken out almost completely. On the right: my building.
Yes, I live in the bldg on the right.
Hopefully, you can see the top floor is burnt out. The fire went thru the roof so there is considerable damage to this very nice building. So this is what I will be browsing tomorrow when this makes the news. It's still ongoing, there is still fire but it's under control now. I'm wondering if the entire building is evacuated--there were many, many people milling around.
Since my windows are open, I can smell the burning wood now. Brooklyn...never a dull moment. I'll update this w/more info when it's available.
Edit: here, it made the news already, but the fire started in a vacant unit. Good! There was gossip on the street that there were workers attending to the unit before it started so...maybe it was carelessness of some sort. Wow.
A large fire broke out in a building on the corner of Kingston Avenue and Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights Monday afternoon.
collive.com
Edit: Update 11/02/2021: In the cruel light of day, we see the damage on the outside and that it was indeed a bad fire. Gossip was wrong, published report said that not only was the iniitial apt. occupied but one person died and another on the street was hospitalized. Broken glass everywhere and a window screen hanging off a tree branch. Things may change further but...My neighborhood was so quiet this morning.