Blaze Ignites in Garage on Quincy Street

Neighbors say a space heater likely was the cause of a fast-moving fire that ignited on the first floor of a three-story private dwelling on Quincy Street, at approximately 3:30pm.

A dozen fire trucks and 60 firefighters were called to 228 Quincy Street, between Bedford and Nostrand Avenues, after the building’s owner reported a fire blazing out of control in the garage.

The blaze sent a half dozen tenants fleeing their smoky apartments abruptly out into the afternoon cold. The smoke had engulfed the upper units so quickly, residents on the third floor had to escape by ladder from their front windows.

“I saw all this smoke coming under my front door, and then someone started banging on my door really hard, yelling ‘Open up, fire!,’” said Aida , a tenant on the second floor.

“I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is an actual fire!’ I barely could see my way down the stairs, the smoke was so thick. There’s no way the people on the third floor would have been able to make it down the stairs.”

Fire officials reported no injuries, and the fire was placed under control at 3:52.

The building’s owner, a musician, paced back and forth, clearly distraught.

“I know he’s really upset right now,” said Aida motioning to the building’s owner. “All of his instruments and equipment were in there, and he rehearses in there.

"I’ve never been in a fire. But I’m just happy to be out alive.”