I received the following report from a very concerned Roosevelt Island resident who spotted a a potentially dangerous fire burning from this barrel at the Roosevelt Island Garden Club.
According to the resident, on Monday morning September 3 at approximately 8 AM:
… while walking the dog, I smelt smoke and heard a lot of noise coming from the back of the garden northside. When I approached I witnessed this man in photos breaking up a newer pallet to feed a fire in the metal can.
Once he fed the fire, he walked away to mid garden to continue watering a plot. The fire reached treetop level.
On the outside of the fence, I called out to this man that he must stay with and attend an open fire. He started to yell that he had been doing this for years and knew what he was doing, ‘he was not a monkey’.
I advised him the fire was very tall under the trees, the barbecue propane tank was close by, a very dry field was located directly behind the fence, as the partially burned twigs fell to the ground.
I walked to Main Street and a fireman loading his car asked me if I had seen anyone burning since the air was filled with it. I told him to check behind the garden, which his captain came out at that time and walked to the garden.
Both of us witness the barrel burning very high, and small wood pieces burning on the ground 3 feet from the fence. He asked the piro-man to put out the fire immediately.
To date, The Roosevelt Island Garden Club has not removed the barrel. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp ( RIOC ) has been made aware of the situation.