East Harlem Blaze | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

East Harlem Blaze

East Harlem is subjected to yet another accident, leaving some residents shaken.

17
East Harlem Blaze
Russell Barnes


At roughly 6:40 this evening, the gardening center located underneath the elevated tracks of the Metro North Hudson-Harlem line was engulfed in flames after an explosion was heard throughout the area.

A large bang was followed by the massive blaze, sending plumes of black smoke skyward. Reports say that a tractor trailer had erupted into flames causing the lot to instantly become an inferno. This is the second time this area has seen a catastrophic event. Just over 2 years ago, near the corner of East 116th Street, a gas main exploded destroying two buildings and killing eight. That was located less than one block south from where this fire was taking place.

The area is used predominantly by a gardening shop that takes up the space underneath the tracks stretching from East 116th street to East 119th. The section between 117th and 118th is used primarily for storage, and it is believed to have large quantities of plastic products along with fertilizer and other gardening materials. Taking footage of the fire, the intense heat could be felt from at least 300 feet away. Police warned people to move away, and word of fertilizer being in the area spooked many into creating distance between themselves and the fire.

The fire caused Metro North trains to be delayed, and backed up the system about an hour into the rush hour evening. There are reports that the system is working in sections to points north, but as of this report, there have been no trains that have passed through the Harlem line.

Speaking with Anthony Jara, a Construction Engineer with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, his concerns are justified especially for the structural integrity of the elevated tracks. When asked if due to the fire the structure might need replacing, Mr. Jara stated: “…As far as the structure is concerned, it'll have to be checked that the connections are ok and to what extent the steel was affected. That would depend on how hot it was from the fire.” Mr. Jara also added, “If it was a tanker truck with highly flammable material then, yes, the steel can be affected, but if it's just rubbish and some debris on fire then only minor damage is done and can easily be repaired.”

Only time will tell if this fire has caused more damage than we can see. But this neighborhood has seen its fair share of catastrophes, and as one of the members of this community, I believe we’ve seen enough.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

6019
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments