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.
