Massive Fire Destroys Several Businesses In Mount Vernon
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- An overnight fire destroyed a row of businesses in Mount Vernon, including some longtime staples in the community.
Smoke was still billowing from the buildings on Gramatan Avenue hours after the blaze broke out around 1 a.m. Monday.
Fire officials believe it started in the basement of Sal's Deli then quickly spread to three floors of apartment above, causing them all to collapse within an hour of crews arriving on scene, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
"The structures itself collapsed in under an hour of our arrival," Mount Vernon Deputy Fire Chief Tom Duffy said. "So we had to pull guys out."
Firefighters had to start using foam to fight the blaze after they found water was bouncing off the collapsed debris, CBS2's Lou Young reported.
Darryl Strickland was one of the four people who lived above the deli and was forced to evacuate before the floors caved in.
"It's heartbreaking," Strickland said. "Police came by and told us to come out of the house cause there's too much smoke."
Duffy said smoke detectors helped save the residents' lives because the alarms went off, rousing everyone awake, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported.
"Tight windows, everything's closed up, it's got nowhere to go, that heat builds up in there, under those conditions it's absolutely not survivable," Duffy said.
The fire also spread to a laundromat, a pizza shop and a dry cleaning business, turning one of the busiest blocks of Mount Vernon into a charred, gutted shell, Burrell reported.
Marina Di Bernardo said Anthony's Pizza, which was destroyed in the blaze, has been in her husband's family since 1962.
"It's a mom and pop store, it's not a franchise," Di Bernardo said. "We helped the kids in the community. They come in after school. You give them special slices. They all know to come to us."
"It's the end of an era that's for sure," said resident Ben Dorazio. "It's a shame."
There were no reports of any injuries.
Because of the possibility of the exterior wall collapsing, Fire Chief AJ Everett said it is unclear when the fire marshal will be able to go in to pinpoint the cause of the fire.
"It's a dangerous situation as far as the collapse is concerned, we've tried to make entry from the front as well as from the back and we just cannot get in," Everett said. "It's just that dangerous back there."
The Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity of Westchester both responded to help displaced residents.
"I'll buy new clothing for them today and I'll also give them furniture, help them find an apartment after," Habitat for Humanity of Westchester CEO & Executive Director Jim Killoran told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.
The smokey conditions and interference with nearby electrical service caused officials to cancel classes at nearby Mandela High School.
