One New York City firefighter has died and another has been seriously injured battling a blaze that broke out late Thursday on a film set in upper Manhattan, authorities said.
The fire reportedly began around 11 p.m. in the basement of a five-story building where crews were shooting “Motherless Brooklyn,” an upcoming film set in 1950s New York, starring Bruce Wilson and Edward Norton.
Fire at Saint Nicholas and 149th NYC, basement fire on movie set. FDNY out in huge numbers. pic.twitter.com/khhShmC3kY
— Jeanne McLaughlin (@JeanneMcL) March 23, 2018
Witness videos posted to social media showed a massive firefighter response to the five-alarm blaze.
“This is a tragedy. Please give us some privacy,” Norton told reporters at the scene, the New York Daily News reported.
Norton was standing outside when he first noticed the fire in the basement and pointed it out to a nearby cop, the New York Post reported.
The deceased firefighter was 37 years old and had four daughters, according to the paper.
Fire at 773 St. Nicholas Ave, started in basement, now flames coming our through roof. Massive @fdny operation underway. Multiple firefighter injuries reported, at least one serious. (Video via @Alexander_et_al) pic.twitter.com/BLaOE6WdRl
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) March 23, 2018
He was initially missing when a mayday call went out from the building, multiple witness reports said. The New York City Fire Department declared the scene “under control” on Twitter about 2:40 a.m. Friday.
The site of the fire, at 773 St. Nicholas Ave., in the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem, formerly housed the St. Nick’s Jazz Pub, a fixture of Harlem’s nightlife that was closed in 2011.
UPDATE: The mayor's press secretary and City Councilman Mark Levine say a firefighter who was fighting a fire on St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem has died. https://t.co/QtetE6YHrM
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) March 23, 2018
Witnesses reportedly said crews had hung a sign saying “King Rooster Jazz Club” on the building, and were using the old pub location for filming.
“Fire at 773 St. Nicholas Ave, started in basement, now flames coming our through roof,” New York City councilmember Mark Levine tweeted early Friday. “Massive @fdny operation underway.”
The fire “appears to have started in a long-closed bar on ground floor (former St. nick’s pub), which was being used for a movie shoot in past week,” Levine added.
At least 1 firefighter removed with serious injuries after mayday call in basement fire in 5-story residential building on St. Nicholas Ave & 149th. @fdny has gone to 4th alarm. #WestHarlem pic.twitter.com/wcn0mWU6KR
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) March 23, 2018
The mayor’s office later confirmed that a firefighter had died in Harlem Hospital.
“This is an awful night,” mayoral press secretary Eric Phillips tweeted. “We’ve lost an NYC firefighter. Public briefing shortly at Harlem Hospital. Sick to my stomach.”
“Motherless Brooklyn,” which also stars Willem Dafoe and Alec Baldwin, is set for release next year.
