Fire Breaks Out at Bryant Park Holiday Market
The New York City Fire Department received reports of the blaze on the south side of the park at 9:30 a.m., quickly bringing it under control by 10 a.m. No injuries were reported, and the fire marshal is investigating the cause.The market, officially known as the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, is a major seasonal destination, attracting about four million visitors annually. It features a wide range of small businesses, ice skating, curling, and food vendors.Market Operations Resume Despite Fire
By noon, most of the market and its iconic ice rink had reopened. Vendors unaffected by the fire were expected to resume business later in the day, a market spokesperson said. The holiday market operates daily, running until January 5, with extended hours on weekends.Videos of the incident circulated on social media, showing firefighters battling flames and urging onlookers to evacuate. One video captured a man shouting, “Get out!” as smoke and flames engulfed several kiosks.Joseph Castellano, a battalion chief with the Fire Department, reported that the fire primarily damaged a 6-foot-by-40-foot structure housing four vendors, including food stalls. Slight damage was also reported to a nearby kiosk and the roof of the adjacent ice rink.A Second holiday market fire Raises Questions
This incident comes shortly after a similar fire destroyed booths at the Herald Square holiday market, located six blocks south of Bryant Park. That earlier fire left one firefighter seriously injured.Chief Castellano dismissed concerns about broader safety issues at holiday markets, stating, “I don’t think they are a concern at all. I just think we had two fires.”Michael Strauss, a local worker who witnessed the aftermath, said he received a video of the fire from a colleague. “By the time I got outside, the fire was out, but you could see several kiosks smoldering,” he recounted, noting the presence of about 30 firefighters.
The New York City Fire Department received reports of the blaze on the south side of the park at 9:30 a.m., quickly bringing it under control by 10 a.m. No injuries were reported, and the fire marshal is investigating the cause.The market, officially known as the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, is a major seasonal destination, attracting about four million visitors annually. It features a wide range of small businesses, ice skating, curling, and food vendors.Market Operations Resume Despite Fire
By noon, most of the market and its iconic ice rink had reopened. Vendors unaffected by the fire were expected to resume business later in the day, a market spokesperson said. The holiday market operates daily, running until January 5, with extended hours on weekends.Videos of the incident circulated on social media, showing firefighters battling flames and urging onlookers to evacuate. One video captured a man shouting, “Get out!” as smoke and flames engulfed several kiosks.Joseph Castellano, a battalion chief with the Fire Department, reported that the fire primarily damaged a 6-foot-by-40-foot structure housing four vendors, including food stalls. Slight damage was also reported to a nearby kiosk and the roof of the adjacent ice rink.A Second holiday market fire Raises Questions
This incident comes shortly after a similar fire destroyed booths at the Herald Square holiday market, located six blocks south of Bryant Park. That earlier fire left one firefighter seriously injured.Chief Castellano dismissed concerns about broader safety issues at holiday markets, stating, “I don’t think they are a concern at all. I just think we had two fires.”Michael Strauss, a local worker who witnessed the aftermath, said he received a video of the fire from a colleague. “By the time I got outside, the fire was out, but you could see several kiosks smoldering,” he recounted, noting the presence of about 30 firefighters.
