After two chemical fires at the beauty products warehouse at 143-151 Woodworth Avenue prompted shelter-in-place orders, emergency evacuations, and a massive strain on local infrastructure, community residents met with city officials Sept. 24 at the Beczak Center in downtown Yonkers to air their concerns and to have their questions answered.
Fire Commissioner William Fitzpatrick informed residents that the first incident, which occurred on Sept. 2, involved a floor polishing machine damaging containers of DECO 1200 hair bleaching products at the European Beauty Concepts warehouse.
“We noticed the smoke changing from white to brown to black,” Fitzpatrick told residents. The response required shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents and suspension of railroad service due to toxic smoke drifting across Metro-North tracks.
Second Fire Strains Water Infrastructure
The second chemical fire broke out on Sept. 20, while cleanup from the first fire was already underway. Fire officials took a more cautious approach after learning about chemical hazards at the warehouse from the first incident.
However, Fire officials were unable to determine the exact cause of the second fire due to structural damage from the previous fire. Fitzpatrick stated that, “we were not able to investigate as thoroughly, because at that point, the roof had collapsed in and you know, we were not really able to get into with the actual seat of the fire was.” Nevertheless, he suggested that remaining oxidizing chemicals from the first fire may have been involved, and that the property’s tenants will be responsible for the cleanup.
“The tenant of the new owner is responsible for the cleanup now,” Fitzpatrick said, noting contractors have been working on the site.
“We had three master streams set up,” Fitzpatrick explained. “Each master stream is putting out over 1,000 gallons a minute. That’s 3,000 gallons a minute times 60 minutes, times about eight or nine hours.”
The department poured almost 2 million gallons total across both incidents. Fitzpatrick classified both incidents as “not suspicious” following the investigation, noting that witnesses were present during the first fire and could provide an explanation for what happened. The Fire Department did not immediately respond to questions concerning standard investigation procedures or detailed specifications for the vicinity’s sewer system.
Property Transfer Complicates Cleanup
Building Commissioner James Gibbons confirmed that the warehouse has been demolished and an official city hazardous materials cleanup is currently underway, noting that the property changed hands, from PCP Realty to TCP Realty LLC, before the second incident.
Gibbons also mentioned that the location will still be the site of the approved two 32-story residential towers, which are expected to house approximately 1,600 residents.
Community Raises Infrastructure Questions
Lydia Blakely, President of the Hudson Riverfront Community Association, led the emergency meeting that United Yonkers, a consortium of local advocacy organizations, called after neighbors raised questions about health impacts and emergency preparedness due to the fires.
Several residents pointed to narrow street access and aging water infrastructure as concerns. According to a previous Yonkers Ledger report, the Traffic Engineering Division’s comments on the Twin Towers development, in which they stated that it would “create even more congestion than is currently experienced and saw no means of alleviating the problem.”
Building Commissioner Gibbons acknowledged his department reviews infrastructure needs for development projects, but provided no timeline for improvements to match development approvals.
Emergency Procedure Response Explained
Fire Commissioner Fitzpatrick provided clarification on the department’s emergency response procedures, explaining to advise residents the rationale of sheltering in place rather than evacuating.
“A lot of times it’s safer for you to remain in your home instead of going outside through any kind of contaminants that were in the air that day,” Fitzpatrick said. Only two residents were reportedly evacuated from the north side due to health conditions that made them more vulnerable to air contamination.
The department conducted constant air monitoring throughout both fires using sophisticated hazmat equipment, Fitzpatrick said. Establishing that the wind patterns at the time carried most contaminants toward the Hudson River rather than through residential areas.
Fitzpatrick said that fire officials worked with the New York State DEC during both events. During the emergency response, the department’s hazmat team tested the air for volatile organic compounds and other pollutants.
“We were fortunate. The air was blown towards the river, and majority of the contaminants were carried up with the convective heat waves and out over the river, so most of it dissipated,” Fitzpatrick explained.
Fire officials ensured that water runoff from Ravine Avenue entered sanitary sewers rather than storm drains, affirming treatment of sewage at the plant before discharge into the river.
Investigation Continues
The fires occurred months after development approvals, but highlighted infrastructure constraints that will affect future emergency response.
Whether the incidents will influence ongoing development decisions remains unclear. The city continues to approve high-rise projects throughout the west side, despite documented infrastructure limitations.
