Fire damages building in Flatbush, destroying deli & displacing residents
The FDNY says the fire broke out around 3:03 p.m. on the second floor of 1703 Foster Ave., near East 17th Street.
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A fire tore through a three-story residential building in Flatbush Tuesday afternoon, destroying a beloved deli and displacing residents.
The FDNY says the fire broke out around 3:03 p.m. on the second floor of 1703 Foster Ave., near East 17th Street.
Five people and four officers suffered minor injuries, but all were treated at the scene and refused further medical attention.
Marino Rodriguez, the owner of the deli on the first floor, broke down in tears as he looked at the damage.
He told News 12 he had run the store for more than 30 years.
“Everything happened so fast. The important thing is that we are okay,” Rodriguez said.
The FDNY has not determined the cause of the fire.
However, some neighbors told News 12 they had seen cigarette butts left on the stairs earlier in the day and believe that may have sparked the blaze.
