Fire Breaks Out at McKibbin Lofts in East Williamsburg, FDNY Says
EAST WILLIAMSBURG — A small fire broke out at the McKibbin Lofts Monday afternoon, the FDNY said.
A call came in around 4:10 p.m. for a fire on the third floor at 265 McKibbin St., the address of the well-known artist residence, fire officials said.
There were no initial reports of injuries, and the fire was under control within 20 minutes, an FDNY spokesman said.
A woman who identified herself as the resident of the apartment where the fire started said it was a small electrical fire caused by an item that a guest staying at the apartment left on, igniting the mattress it was underneath.
The woman, who declined to give her name, said that it was not an Airbnb guest, denying a rumor circulating among neighbors.
Airbnb usage is common in the building, which has two partial stop work orders on it from the Department of Buildings for illegal use as a hotel.
Much of the east side of the building was still wet on Monday evening, though the smell of smoke on the third floor was faint.
Greg Sands, a 32-year-old designer, was inside McKibbin Lofts at the time and said he didn't realize there was a fire in one of the apartments above him until water started leaking through his living room roof.
No alarm sounded, nor did anyone come knock on his door, he said.
"We just heard some banging," he said. "We thought they were doing construction."
Sands said he and his roommates will likely be able to stay in their apartment, where just a few pieces of furniture suffered some water damage. His next door neighbors had far more water damage, he said.
"It flooded, quite a bit," Sands said.
A man who identified himself as the owner of the property said he didn't know the extent of the damage or whether anybody would have to move out.
Posts on social media showed firefighters entering the building as onlookers stood outside, including a man wearing just a towel around his waist.
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