150 Left Homeless
By Dan Murphy
Last week, Yonkers firefighters – with the help of neighboring fire departments – put out a massive, four-alarm fire on Parkview Avenue on the Yonkers border with Bronxville. The fire started on the top floor of a six story, 66-unit apartment building.
According to the Yonkers Fire Department, firefighters received numerous calls March 12 at about 6 p.m. reporting a fire in 15 Parkview Ave. Firefighters found heavy fire on the roof and top floors, and were able to knock down the fire before 5 a.m. Wednesday. Approximately 150 residents were displaced and provided emergency shelter by the America Red Cross at Roosevelt High School. Multiple victims and firefighters were also transported by paramedics to local hospitals for evaluation.
More than 100 firefighters from 30 departments from surrounding cities like Eastchester, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle also responded to assist with the blaze. About a dozen firefighters were hospitalized, mostly from exhaustion, with no residents injured.
The fire was caused by welding work being done at an apartment on the sixth floor, according to YFD. Workers left the building at 5:30 p.m. March 12, and the fire was reported at 6 p.m. Then fire then spread to the roof and engulfed the building.
The building was constructed in 1929. It is owned by Parkview Equities and run by Krantz Property Management. It may take a year or more to re-open the apartment building, which has been condemned by the building department, said YFD.
More than one GoFundMe account has been set up to raise money for the victims, and local businesses have stepped forward to lend a helping hand. Residents who are displaced from the fire may contact the Mayor’s Helpline at 914-377-HELP (4357) for shelter and Red Cross needs.
