FDNY firefighters injured in fire station basement fire

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 1 minute read

By Scott R. Axelrod
Staten Island Progress

NEW YORK — Firefighters responded to a call as a fire broke out at a Staten Island fire station in Westerleigh Monday afternoon.

According to the FDNY, a “verbal alarm” was received just after 5:30 p.m. for a report of a possible electrical fire in the basement of 875 Jewett Ave. – the location of Engine Co. 163 and Ladder Co. 83.

Twelve units and 60 firefighters responded to the “widespread” fire and had it under control around 6:40 p.m., an FDNY spokesperson said.

Two firefighters were slightly injured, but no further information was immediately available on their condition, the spokesperson said.

A blown transformer is blamed

A witness told the Advance/SILiv.e.com that spark wires from a blown transformer on a utility pole adjacent to the fire station had fallen and caused the fire station to catch fire. A badly burned section of ground could be seen where the wires had fallen.

Con Edison crews were on scene as the fire coincided with a power outage that affected 800 homes in Westerleigh and Castleton Corners. It is not yet known whether the two incidents were related.

The causes of the fire are currently under investigation by firefighters, the spokesperson said.