Park Slope residents say unraked leaves caused fire that destroyed 3 cars
Resident Clive Thompson says for weeks the piles of leaves were building up, until Saturday morning where he was awoken by what he thought were fireworks.
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Park Slope residents say weeks of unswept dry leaves contributed to a Saturday morning fire that destroyed three parked cars in the neighborhood.
Resident Clive Thompson says for weeks the piles of leaves were building up, until Saturday morning where he was awoken by what he thought were fireworks.
"We heard a loud thump, looked outside and saw the cars engulfed, the flames spreading through the leaves underneath the cars," he said.
One of those cars belonged to Madeline Clayton, who was taking her daughter out for a walk when she discovered the damage later that day.
"It was horrifying to see the car completely disintegrated in ashes, trying to figure out what happened," she said.
Clayton says fire officials and police told her family a lit cigarette is believed to have sparked the fires. But residents say a fire at the exact same spot broke out earlier, with those on the street putting it out with water.
Now they are calling on the city to do more to clean the leaves in the street, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Sanitation.
"When it's dry like this, they need to be more mindful of when they are doing the cleanings because when they build up, it can cause a real problem," Thompson said.
Thompson and his wife, Emily Nussbaum, started a GoFundMe to help replace the vehicle for their family, as Clayton says insurance has denied their claim.
Clayton is raising awareness of the danger the leaves can cause. She has issued 311 complaints for any piles she sees on the street. She is also urging others to sweep any leaves they see in the street to avoid what happened to them.
"If there is building up around your car, get out the house, get a rake and clean it up because it is just not worth it," she said, adding how grateful she has been to the community for helping support her family.
FDNY had not confirmed a cause for the fire as of Sunday night.
