An overnight blaze that jumped three firewalls at a condominium complex in the Frum community of New Square destroyed at least 18 units and injured one firefighter. Miraculously everyone made it out safely!With temperatures hovering at 3 degrees, the fire burned for over four hours.
More than 100 firefighters from Hillcrest, Spring Valley and surrounding companies responded to the 2 AM fire in a three-story wood-frame condominium cluster at 158 Clinton Lane as flames shot through the roof.
“It started in one group of three condominiums and jumped the fire wall completely and gutted another three condominiums,” a fire official said. “Then it jumped to an adjacent building of 12 condominiums, where it was stopped. It spread to a second building of 12 condominiums, where it was also stopped.”
No rescues were needed, Wren said. A Hatzolah member with a siren in his car arrived at the fire and alerted the residents to get out, Wren said.
The cause of the fire had not been determined, but it was not considered suspicious, said Wren.
The coordinator said insufficient water pressure hampered the effort to fight the fire.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
Amazing. Hodu Lashem Ki Tov… Hashem does amazing things for us.
Why was there a lack of water pressure,was it bec of cold weather or was there some other reason?
This should be a wake up call for the officials who give in to requests of greedy owners, and allow them to build like this would be Noah’s ark or the “dor haflagah”…
This is not the city and these are built with wood, without any thought to fire, parking, safety, and tznios. We try to close the eyes, but this should be the beginning of a rude awakening call.
In the pre war Rumania an entire Yiddish Shtetel was wiped off the map, with many casualties r”l.
B”H now there were no casualties here. Can you imagine if….. C”V? Just the other day there were ten killed in a fire somewhere in the Midwest.
Let’s start putting pressure on our elected politicians, including those from the Chassidish villages, to stop Ok’ing every project! Let people send there children to live in the Catskills or Pennsylvania, just as they do in E Israel!
I think it’s time now that new square should open their own fire department like kiryas joel has and we shouldn’t need to wait until the foreign fire department is coming every minute counts and I hope this will give a lesson for everybody to buy fire insurance you can buy fire insurance for only $250.00 a yr that comes out to $5.00 a week
Thank Hashem no one was hurt. But what is the status of the firefighter?
This is a volunteer department -usually of young men- putting their lives on the line for us- at times in very dangerous conditions.
The least we can do is say Ttiffilos for him regardeless of his religious affliation.
Simple Hakoras Hatov.
Response to above ” foreign fire department ? ”
I suppose a “foreign police force” protects you as well as a “foreign” army?
Do you even pay taxes to these entities?
Is there any end to the insular nature of some of you posting here?
MO,
yoel7281 appears to be referring to a time issue- he advocates for a LOCAL fire department.
No need to offend with the taxes comment. Relax, and be dan lekaf zechus. Additionally, your ideology may not value insularity, but it would be nice if you would respect other derachim.
There was a very fast response. Opening an own fire house will not solve the problem which comes from years of irresponsible building!
Sorry Sarah, but local and foreign are two different entities.
I know exactly what he meant.
Dan L’chaf Zechus?? you say?
What about being Makir Tov to a ” foreign ” firefighter who placed his life on the line fighting a multifamily dwelling.
Be concerned about his welfare. I don’t see empathy for him in your post.
MO, you don’t look good on your soapbox. I wasn’t referencing the injured firefighter, I was addressing you, and your unprovoked attack. No one’s words get a free pass, and sarcasm, attack, and offensive comments to your fellow posters will precipitate a response.
Relax, speak respectfully, and you will be heard.
“local and foreign are two different entities. I know exactly what he meant.”
MO, stay awhile, and get to know the posters a bit better, before you presume to know “exactly” what a fellow poster “means”. And yes, dan l’kaf zechus would be an appropriate exercise for you to work on.
Dear Modern Orthodox,
Who ever said that the villagers of New Square had no Hakoras Hatov.
Do the non jews you know daven for any of your fellow young israel buddies, when they are injured or sick?
Now with regard to your comment about taxes, who cuts your grass? Who cleans your home or the school where your children attend?
Enough with your self righteous zevel! Did you ever stop and think how you could offer your help to the 18 mishpachos displaced by the fire? I don’t mean financial help, but i am sure they could use linens,clothing and whatever you might use on a daily basis…
Boruch Hashem no one was hurt! I think the low water pressure was also because of the cold. My mechutan lives there and this was very scary!