A five-alarm fire ripped through a commercial strip in the Bronx Thursday morning, damaging restaurants, an optical shop and other businesses in the University Heights section of the borough.
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said crews responded at 8:21 a.m. to reports of a fire at a restaurant at 2037 Jerome Ave., near West Burnside Avenue. Over 200 fire and EMS personnel arrived on scene and found about six businesses that were “severely damaged,” he said.
Most of the fire was in the cockloft – the space between the roof and ceiling — and many of the affected buildings had been renovated with multiple ceiling levels, creating a challenge for FDNY to safely get water in, according to Esposito.
“It’s just a wide open space, and the fire extends, and now we have significant risk to the firefighters of that ceiling collapsing while they’re inside,” he said.
No injuries to residents or firefighters have been reported.
FDNY officials also said when they arrived on scene, an illegally parked car slowed their access to the hydrant, for which they issued a court summons. It is unlawful to park within 15 feet of a hydrant.
A car blocking the hydrant was also a factor in a Feb. 12 fire in Mount Hope that killed two people at a Buddhist temple and a nearby home. The owner of the illegally parked car was issued a court summons resulting in a $4,000 fine, according to the FDNY.
FDNY members are operating at a 4-alarm fire at 2037 Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. There are currently no injuries. pic.twitter.com/dbtpOWRvyZ
— FDNY (@FDNY) March 13, 2025
This year has already seen several major fires. In March alone, the Red Cross reported assisting 113 people in response to 21 fires in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
Earlier today, Mayor Eric Adams and FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker declared 2025 “Fire Prevention Year” in NYC and said that FDNY will conduct thousands of educational events in communities facing the highest risk.
Officials also released a report on each of the city’s 59 community boards’ risk of residential fires. In the Bronx, CB3 (Morrisania and Crotona Park East), CB6 (Tremont, Belmont, West Farms) and CB1 (Mott Haven, Melrose, Port Morris) saw the highest number of residential fires per 10,000 residents.
“We already had seen too many multi-alarm fires in the first two months of this year. And we’re urging New Yorkers to protect themselves through education,” said the mayor at a press conference.
Reach Emily Swanson at [email protected] or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
