NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) -- The FDNY responded to a fire on the roof of an office building in Midtown Manhattan, causing smoke to billow into the air just blocks from the city's St. Patrick's Day parade.
When department staff got to the site Tuesday morning, they found a cooling tower that was under renovation had caught fire, a FDNY official said during a media briefing. More than 100 fire and EMS personnel were on the scene to respond to the situation and had the fire under control in about an hour and a half.
The fire, which was called a "wind-driven event," was located at 6 East 43rd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue, according to the FDNY. The city's emergency management system warned residents to expect traffic delays, road closures, mass transit disruptions and emergency personnel in the area in response, according to a social media post.
The address is the location of a 28-floor office building previously home to Emigrant Bank. Its owner Vanbarton Group, plans to convert the building into apartments.
Smoke was pouring out of the roof near the St. Patrick's Day Parade route.Citizen App
The fire occurred during the demolition of rooftop equipment, according to a spokesperson for Vanbarton.
"It was isolated to the rooftop and quickly contained with the assistance of the FDNY," Vanbarton said emailed statement. "The FDNY has since given the all clear. The safety of our team and the surrounding community remains our top priority, and we are actively assessing the situation and coordinating with relevant authorities."
All construction workers were accounted for and two minor injuries were reported, according to the fire department.
New York's Saint Patrick's Day Parade, which runs along Fifth Avenue, is heralded as the oldest and largest in the world, with roughly 150,000 marchers and more than 2 million spectators, according to the parade's website.
This year's event is being marshalled by Robert James "Bob" McCann, a long-time finance leader who has worked for UBS and Merrill Lynch.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com.
