Mysterious Fire Ignites Outside of Building on Skillman Street

A mysterious fire ignited at approximately 7:52 this morning on the outside of a three-story frame building at 254 Skillman Street between Dekalb and Lafayette Avenues.

Twelve fire trucks and 60 firefighters were called to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire by 8:08. No one was injured.

“Two women started banging on the door outside and they were yelling, ‘the building is on fire,’” said Stu, 35, a tenant who lives on the ground.

Stu declined to give his last name, but said all he smelled was smoke and that everyone was able to evacuate quickly.

“I feel lucky,” he said.

Firefighters said they are not clear how a fire could start outside of a third floor, but fire detectives are investigating.

Meanwhile, right around the corner at 500 Dekalb Avenue, at approximately 8:18, the FDNY reported an unconscious female down in the street -- an incident, they said, is unrelated to the fire.