An extensive blaze in the Bronx wiped out several businesses Tuesday morning, according to the FDNY, but no one was injured.
The fire, which first broke out just before 5:30 a.m. inside 316 E. 194th St. in the Fordham Manor area of the Bronx, quickly started escalating: It was declared a two-alarm fire about 15 minutes later and eventually declared a five-alarm at about 7:40 a.m.
James Leonard, the FDNY’s chief of department, said the firefighters encountered “heavy fire conditions, heavy smoke conditions” at all seven stores at the building when they first arrived on scene.
The flames were brought under control at about 9:20 a.m., the FDNY said.
Leonard, who described the structure as “totally destroyed,” said, “The success here today is that we have no injuries. The bad news is that we have a total loss of a building and seven businesses have lost their building.”
The seven stores affected included a laundromat, barber shop, pizzeria, pharmacy, among others.
The blaze is under investigation.
