Numerous texts, photos and video starting coming in from local Roosevelt Island Tipsters to my phone this evening at about 6:30 PM.
According to the Tipsters:
Is the Island exploding? I’ve never seen so many fire trucks.
Good grief! What is happening at 480… there’s so many fireman.
Fire in 480. 25 fire and rescue vehicles… 32nd vehicle just crossed the bridge.
Lotta fire trucks.
I spoke with FDNY Battalion 45 Chief Ostermann after the fire was extinguished. According to Chief Ostermann:
We got reports of a fire from the 16th floor. The local firehouse arrived. They went up to 16. We had a fire in apartment 16 Adam. The sprinkler system was already on. It partially extinguished the fire. We committed resources to the 16th floor with a hose line and extinguished the fire. There were no occupants inside the apartment. The apartment was locked. The fire was extinguished quickly. All occupants on the 16th floor were evacuated. We had no injuries. No reports of smoke inhalation. The fire is under control and is being investigated by FDNY fire marshals.
Due to the size of the building, not the size of the fire, the initial response to a 21 story high rise you’re going to have a lot of resources arrive. Luckily we didn’t need most of those resources. We were able to turn them back.
UPDATE 4/13 – According to multiple reliable sources:
… a tenant being evicted for a failure to pay rent had a mental breakdown of sorts. He simply removed all his personal affects to the common lounge upstairs and proceeded to set fire to his bed.,,,
This is a very problematic situation and management must deal with this accordingly.. Such unhinged behavior puts other residents in a very serious risk..
I asked FDNY today:
There was a fire last night, 4/12, at 480 Main Street, a Roosevelt Island Hi Rise apartment building on the 16 th Floor.
The FDNY 45 battalion responded.
Do you have any info on what happened and the cause?
I’m told the apartment was empty at the time and the fire was caused by a tenant being evicted. Fire started from a burning mattress?
Is that true?
Do you have any more info on the incident from last night.
The FDNY Press Office answered:
480 Main Street – Roosevelt Island
Call received @ 1801 hrs.
Report of a fire in a high rise multiple dwelling
Fire located on the 16th floor
20 units – 78 Fire and EMS Personnel on scene
No reported injuries
Fire under control @ 1856 hrs.
Fire cause is still under investigation by FDNY Fire Marshals