(VIDEOS & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

A 7-alarm blaze tore through the parking garage of Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn on Monday morning. Kings Plaza is located on Flatbush Avenue and Avenue U in the Mill Basin section of Brooklyn. The call first came in shortly before 9 a.m. Monday.

The FDNY reported that multiple vehicles on fire were the initial source of the fire. Commissioner Nigro reported the facility was storing more than 100 NEW vehicles for a local auto mall.

Video & photos posted to social media showed thick smoke overwhelming the entire immediate area.

The FDNY had difficulty getting to the vehicles on fire, as the low height of the ceilings made it impossible to bring fire trucks into the garage.

21 people, 18 of them firefighters, suffered non life-threatening injuries due to smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion.

[LATEST UPDATE – ARRESTED: NYPD Suspects Homeless Man Started Kings Plaza Inferno; 132 Mercedes-Benz Destroyed]

The entire Flatbush Avenue was shut down for several blocks in both directions.

Kings Plaza has more than 120 stores, including Macy’s, Best Buy, Sears, H&M, Michael Kors, Express and Foot Locker.

BKLYN 3-ALARM 5100 KINGS PLZ, FIRE ON 2ND FLR , MULTIPLE VEHICLES ON FIRE IN THE PARKING GARAGE,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 17, 2018

.@FDNY Four Alarm Fire: Kings Plaza & East 52 Street, Brooklyn. Expect smoke & traffic delays in area. People nearby avoid smoke, close windows. #fire Multilingual & ASL link: https://t.co/PosXqPHajp . https://t.co/d4fifMZzlT

— NYCEM – Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) September 17, 2018

BREAKING: Fire at Kings Plaza shopping center is now a 6 alarm. Multiple marine units have been requested to try and fight the blaze from the water. pic.twitter.com/Kl5esS3B6m

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 17, 2018

#FDNY members are operating on scene of a 6-alarm fire at 5100 Kings Plaza in #Brooklyn. There are currently 2 non-life-threatening injuries to civilians, and 15 non-life-threatening injuries to Firefighters, reported. pic.twitter.com/6cDaYrn6tv

— FDNY (@FDNY) September 17, 2018

#FDNY members continue to operate on scene of a 6-alarm fire, 5100 Kings Plaza #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/ayG2dke1YL

— FDNY (@FDNY) September 17, 2018

More than 50 #FDNY units and more than 200 members continue to operate on scene of a 7-alarm fire at 5100 Kings Plaza #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/x66y0tAdpN

— FDNY (@FDNY) September 17, 2018

There are 21 injuries – 3 to civilians and 18 to Firefighters, none are life-threatening. Members have various levels of smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, working under these conditions –#FDNY Commissioner Nigro on scene at 7-alarm fire, 5100 Kings Plaza #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/qnHDuDzshc

— FDNY (@FDNY) September 17, 2018

***PHOTOS BELOW BY PHOTO DYNAMICS:***

(Yossi Taub – YWN)