Watch CBS News

Christmas Decorations Eyed As Cause Of Fire At Midtown Building

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Firefighters responded to a blaze at a Midtown high-rise office building Friday morning.

Midtown Fire
(credit: Image via CBS2)

Five dozen firefighters responded to the fire at 333 Madison Avenue, a block from Grand Central Terminal.

It took crews over an hour to bring the blaze under control. Officials say it was an electrical issue that started on the outside of the building, and the FDNY is looking into whether Christmas decorations that were hanging outside the building caught fire.

Investigators say there are regulations surrounding how buildings must safely decorate, and it appears those rules were followed in this case.

Firefighters went floor by floor searching for people who may have suffered from smoke inhalation, but luckily everyone got out okay.

Authorities redirected traffic as onlookers posted videos to social media of flames and smoke pouring out of the front of the building near the street level.

"I ignored the notification. Then when I smelled the smoke, that's when we left. That's when everyone left. Once we smelled it, we left it. And now we need to go back, and I don't think that's going to happen today," one evacuee told CBS2.

Madison Avenue reopened to traffic late Friday afternoon, but the sidewalk remains closed as crews clean the mess left by the blaze.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.