Firefighters responded to the freshly rebuilt Tiffany & Co. flagship store in Midtown, where an underground fire had broken out. We now know that people were hurt in the blaze. The subterranean electrical fire, according to fire officials.
Firefighters sprayed water at a grating near the 57th Street and Fifth Avenue entrance. Between Fifth and Madison Avenues on 57th Street, the entire block was cordoned off.
At 9:45 a.m., CBS News New York’s Chopper 2 reported that a fire had broken out on 57th Street, and viewers could see smoke coming from the same grate. Eighty firemen across 14 departments responded, according to the FDNY.
“This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The fire has since been put out and we are working with the New York Fire Department to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our employees and clients. The store is expected to open later today following inspection by the Fire Marshal,” a Tiffany & Co. spokesperson said.
The tweet below verifies the news:
Firefighters were on the scene of an underground fire at Tiffany & Co.’s newly-renovated flagship store in Midtown. Fire officials said it was an underground electrical fire. @LisaRoznerTV reports. https://t.co/WZffkyyeK5
— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) June 29, 2023
Two employees became ill during the evacuation, but no one was seriously hurt, according to the company representative. They were pro-actively dispatched to seek medical attention. According to the FDNY, no other injuries were reported.
“I saw huge plumes of smoke, and my driver told me that he heard an explosion and people running down the street screaming asking for water,” witness Christina Tenedios said. “I’m hoping everyone’s OK, hoping everyone’s safe, hope nothing serious and no injuries and I hope we see them open sooner than later.”
It is unclear how much damage was done within Tiffany’s structure, often known as “The Landmark.” On Friday, the shop should reopen. Investigators and property inspectors have arrived on the scene. Again, there were no power outages or casualties, but the 57th Street block between Fifth and Park was shut down.
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