At least 21 people, including 18 firefighters, sustained injuries during a Kings Plaza fire on Monday morning, FDNY officials said.
Several vehicles caught fire in the Brooklyn mall’s parking garage at 5100 Kings Plaza, sending thick, black plumes of smoke up into the sky around 8:30 a.m., FDNY officials said.
The Kings Plaza fire began on the second floor of the garage before spreading to the third floor. The blaze was contained to the parking garage and did not affect the mall itself, which has more than 120 stores, officials said.
Due to the blaze and smoke conditions, the shopping complex is currently closed, and NYC Emergency Management is urging New Yorkers to avoid the area.
“Expect smoke and traffic delays in the area. People nearby avoid smoke, close windows,” the department tweeted.
.@FDNY Six 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/I2zhWtXTOQ
— NYCEM – Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) September 17, 2018
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said that three civilians and 18 firefighters sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including “various levels” of heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation due to the Kings Plaza fire.
According to the FDNY Twitter account, more than 50 department units and more than 200 firefighters were battling the seven-alarm blaze.
Nigro said that the fire was “virtually extinguished” as of 11 a.m. and there were “perhaps as many as 120” vehicles in the parking garage, but it is not yet know how many have been burned in the blaze.
The cause of the Kings Plaza fire has not yet been determined.
#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
