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I was getting ready for work. It was about 5:00am on the first of March 2006. I was living in Whitestone, Queens at the time. While I was getting ready I was listening to an all news radio station. The station was reporting a major fire in midtown Manhattan that was snarling up traffic. I put my scanner on Manhattan Fire. The dispatcher transmitted the fifth Alarm. I immediately got dressed and started out for the fire. It was just before rush hour. I made good time in getting throught the Midtown tunnel & then to the scene. The above photo is what I saw upon my arrival. The fire building was a 5 story brick commerical building with a chinese restaurant on the first floor. The building was an old building that had numerous renovations in it. It had tinned up high ceilings. The fire was traveling up the walls and the ceilings. This created one of the most incredible smoke conditions that I have ever seen at a fire.
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As conditions worsened units were removed from the fire building and the sixth alarm was transmitted.
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This is the exposure two side of the fire building looking at the rear. Heavy smoke was pushing out of every crevice of the building.
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This is the command post in front of the fire building. Then fire commissioner Howard Safir is on the left. Chief Ed Butler is at the status board. Pudgy Walsh is to the right of Chief Butler.
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This unique view was from the roof of the exposure 2 side of the fire.
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4 Tower Ladders are now operating into the front of the fire building.
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Heavy smoke enveloped midtown Manhattan and could be seen for miles.
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A transit was used to check the stability of the fire building.
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I took this photo from the opposite side from exposure 4 looking towards exposure 2.
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This photo shows the incredible smoke condition. 5 tower ladders were used in front of the fire building. I was due to start work at 9:00am in Queens. It was 8:15am, so I left the scene and headed to work.