Fire guts empty Mount Loretto warehouse in Pleasant Plains as crews shield historic church
Close to 200 firefighters and EMS workers battled the blaze in strong winds. The roof caved in, and a firefighter was treated for minor leg burns.
Fire tore through an empty warehouse on the Mount Loretto campus in Pleasant Plains, Staten Island, on Saturday evening, leaving the building heavily damaged, according to the FDNY. The historic St. Joachim and St. Anne church, which sits in front of the warehouse, came through untouched, as did the rest of the grounds. A firefighter was treated for minor leg burns.
The FDNY said close to 200 firefighters and EMS workers were on the scene shortly after 5:40 p.m., at the site on Hylan Boulevard between Sharrot Avenue and Mount Loretto. The emergency began as a call about the church: to the person who dialed 911, the building looked wrapped in smoke and flames. What crews actually found burning was an old warehouse behind it, a building that had stood vacant for five years or more.
Crews fought from outside as the roof fell in
When the first units pulled up, the fire had spread through the entire building, said FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods. “We immediately went to a defensive operation,” he said. Firefighters attacked the blaze from the exterior, using hand lines, tower ladders and several large-caliber streams.
Eventually the roof gave way, and crews kept a collapse zone around what was left of the structure. Getting enough water was also a struggle. A neighbor who described himself as a retired FDNY lieutenant said local hydrants did not have the volume to fight a blaze that big, which is why a satellite unit was brought in.
Schools and senior center on the campus unharmed
Mount Loretto, operated by Catholic Charities of Staten Island, is home to a variety of community programs. According to Woods, 36 structures stand on the campus, among them two schools and a senior center. None were damaged, the FDNY said, though high winds sent burning embers flying across the property. Woods credited his units, saying they “did a great job with many of the flying embers.”
The fire is out, yet dozens of firefighters remained through the night to keep watch. How the fire began is under investigation by fire marshals.
Quick answers
Did the fire at Mount Loretto damage the church?
No. The blaze was in an empty warehouse behind the historic St. Joachim and St. Anne church, and the church came through untouched.
Was anyone injured in the Mount Loretto fire?
A firefighter was treated for minor leg burns, according to the FDNY.
What started the Staten Island warehouse fire?
No cause has been determined yet. Fire marshals are looking into how it began.
