NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — Concerns regarding the structural integrity of the New York City Fire Museum building led to an emergency evacuation on Saturday, and the collection will be closed until the Department of Buildings provides museum officials with clearance to reopen.
The museum, located at 278 Spring St. in Hudson Square, was evacuated after employees reportedly heard loud banging and felt the building vibrate.
"This decision comes after an emergency evacuation on Saturday, May 11, following crane operations on Spring Street that led to concerns about the structural integrity of the building," executive director of the NYC Fire Museum Patti Murphy said in a statement.
An inspection of the building was held on Sunday in response to a 311 complaint that claimed the crane activity caused the building to shake, but the DOB said that it did not find issues related to the building shaking, nor evidence the crane had damaged the museum.
A crane crawler found on the street has been removed from the scene, tje DOB said.
Inspectors went to the museum for a follow-up investigation on Wednesday, but were not able to gain access as the building was closed.
"We did find an exterior façade crack near several parking lot car elevator lifts at the side of the building," the DOB said. "This crack appears to be a pre-existing condition, as it appears in Google Maps Streetview photos from previous years."
The DOB has ordered the museum to hire a professional engineer to review the building exterior, and is coordinating with the FDNY and museum officials to schedule a full inspection on Thursday.
"The safety of our visitors and staff is our utmost priority, and this closure is a precautionary measure while we await clearance," Murphy said.
The museum houses, preserves and displays a collection of fire related art, artifacts, gear and apparatus to educate the public on the history of fire service in NYC.
Murphy told the New York Daily News that the collection's closure is likely to have a "significant impact" on the nonprofits finances, as the self-funded collection relies on admissions, gift shop sales and events to keep it up and running.
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said in a statement that the department is in touch with museum leadership and is working with the DOB to ensure its safety.
"The Department will work with the museum and our partners in the public and private sector to make sure the collection remains open to the public for years to come," Kavanagh said.
