Early-Morning Fires Torches Herald Square Holiday Market, One Firefighter Injured
The 4 a.m. blaze obliterated much of the holiday market on Monday, December 16, leaving charred structures strewn everywhere. One firefighter who had “serious but non-life-threatening” injuries was transported to NYU Langone, the FDNY said.
A fire tore through the Herald Square Holiday Market near W. 35th St. and Broadway on the morning of Monday, December 16, an FDNY spokesperson confirmed. A fair chunk of the market was obliterated, while one firefighter was reportedly hospitalized with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries.” The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The blaze was first called in at around 4:05 a.m., the FDNY said, leading 60 firefighter and EMS personnel to respond. Four or five stalls were impacted during the blaze. The fire was under control by 5:08 a.m., an hour after it started, the FDNY added. amNY reported that a “hazmat company” removed multiple propane cylinders from the area, and that working fire hydrants were in short order–possibly contributing to a delayed response time.
It’s unclear so far what led to the one firefighter being significantly harmed, although the FDNY notes that he was rushed to NYU Langone Tisch-Hospital for treatment. They added that it was department policy to avoid commenting on the “condition/pedigree” of injured firefighters.
Urbanspace, the company overseeing operations at the market, issued a statement to the press following the blaze: “We are heartbroken to share that a fire occurred early this morning on the northside of our Herald Holiday Market at Broadway and 36th Street, resulting in the destruction of a number of small business booths. This is a devastating moment for our market family, especially during what should be a joyful holiday season.”
”We are actively working with local officials to determine the cause of the fire and ensure the site is secure and safe for the rest of the vendors and visitors to other parts of the market,” the statement concluded. In other words, market stalls that avoided the worst of the blaze remain open for holiday shopping.