NEW YORK — A massive six-hour blaze tore through a dim sum restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown, leaving six firefighters injured, New York City Fire Department officials said Sunday.
The blaze erupted inside Dim Sum Palace on Chatham Square near the Bowery at 11:45 p.m. Saturday, FDNY Assistant Chief Tom Currao said.
“When the first units arrived they were faced with a very heavy fire on the first floor, Currao said. “There was a tremendous amount of fire.”
FDNY units proceeded with an exterior operation, where they doused the building down using multiple hoses and tower ladders.
The fire quickly spread throughout the building, turning into a full-blown five-alarm fire that brought 170 firefighters and other FDNY personnel to the scene.
“In a lot of these older buildings there are a lot of concealed spaces where fire can travel,” Currao said. “As much water volume we were bringing to the building, it was difficult to open up and extinguish.”
The fire was brought under control just after 6 a.m., FDNY officials said.
Five firefighters were taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. No residents were hurt but they were left without a home. The Red Cross was in the process of helping them find housing Sunday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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