Brooklyn, NY – Fire In Building Housing Boro Park Fish Store Displaces Six Families

Brooklyn, NY – A fire that broke out today in a building that houses a kosher fish store, as well as multiple apartments, has left six families homeless.

The blaze began this afternoon at 5324 13th Avenue, home of Yossi’s Fish Market. According to the FDNY’s Twitter feed, the fire broke out on the top floor of the three story brick building at approximately 2 PM and was brought under control within an hour.

Alexander Rapaport, executive director of Masbia Soup Kitchen which is located several blocks from the fire, said that a salt truck had to be brought in to melt the ice that had formed as the FDNY doused the flames. Visiting the fire scene after Shabbos, Rapaport brought those who had been evacuated to Masbia to give them an opportunity to warm up and eat something after standing out in the cold for hours.

Notified about the fire after Shabbos, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein met with the five Hispanic families and one Jewish resident of the building who were displaced by the fire, telling them that he would not leave until they all had a place to sleep for the night.

Eichenstein contacted the American Red Cross who sent representatives to the scene and arranged hotel rooms for the victims for the next two nights.

Yossi Heiman, owner of the fish store, told VIN News that he has been unable to get into his store to assess the damage because all electricity has been cut off in the building.