A four-alarm fire has left many Claremont families out in the cold. According to the FDNY, 400 firefighters responded to a massive fire at 1686 Clay Avenue around 5 a.m. on Sunday, December 17. Flames erupted on the fifth floor and resulted in four minor injuries. Two firefighters were among those injured. The blaze caused significant damage to the 29-unit apartment building. A reception center is opened at P.S. 70 for the building’s residents where the Red Cross is providing food, water, warmth and health/emotional support. Approximately 23 displaced families consisting of 50 adults and 18 children are being assisted by the Red Cross. Fire marshals determined the fire was caused by electrical wiring inside the building’s cockloft.
Photo by Edwin Soto
