Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 19

200 FDNY Responders Contain 4-Alarm Staten Island Blaze, Saving 'Godfather' Church

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 19

200 FDNY Responders Contain 4-Alarm Staten Island Blaze, Saving 'Godfather' Church

Q: How did FDNY stop wind-driven flames from reaching Mount Loretto’s historic church and nearby schools after the warehouse roof collapsed?

FDNY kept the fire from reaching Mount Loretto’s historic church and nearby schools by shifting to a defensive operation and building a protective water curtain around the burning warehouse after conditions worsened. Chief Kevin Woods said crews arrived to find heavy fire throughout the vacant building and, rather than make an interior push, deployed multiple large-caliber streams, tower ladders and handlines from the outside. After the roof collapsed, firefighters established a collapse zone for safety and continued attacking the fire from defensive positions. The key challenge was wind-driven embers. Fire officials said strong winds were carrying burning material toward the rest of the campus, which includes the Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne, two schools and a senior center. Crews focused on knocking down those flying embers and cooling exposures before spot fires could take hold. Woods said units “did a great job” preventing additional structures from igniting. Firefighters also concentrated manpower on exposure protection because the warehouse sat close to other buildings. More than 200 FDNY and EMS personnel were on scene, and reports said satellite water support was brought in because hydrant volume in the area was limited. That sustained the heavy exterior streams needed to contain the blaze until it was brought under control around 8:30 p.m. As a result, the church and nearby buildings were spared despite the roof collapse and high winds.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 19

More than 200 FDNY and EMS personnel stopped a four-alarm warehouse fire from spreading across Staten Island's Mount Loretto grounds, preserving the Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne.
The blaze erupted around 5:45 p.m. Saturday in a vacant warehouse on Hylan Boulevard, where crews found heavy fire throughout the building and shifted immediately to a defensive operation.
By about 8:30 p.m., firefighters had the fire under control despite strong winds and flying embers, though the warehouse suffered heavy damage and a roof collapse forced a collapse zone.
One firefighter suffered a minor burn to the leg, and the Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause.
The saved church is a historic Catholic landmark rebuilt after a 1973 fire and known for appearing in the 1972 baptism scene of 'The Godfather.'