Fire Breaks Out at Mount Loretto Campus, Injuring Firefighter

This evening, a large fire erupted at a vacant warehouse located behind a prominent church on Staten Island’s Mount Loretto campus, resulting in the injury of one firefighter.

Approximately 200 firefighters and EMS personnel were dispatched shortly after 5:40 p.m. to combat the fire, which spread extensively within the warehouse that had been unoccupied for at least five years. FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods reported, ‘We had heavy fire throughout the building. We immediately went to a defensive operation.’ One firefighter sustained minor burns to his legs during the incident.

Initial emergency calls indicated a fire at the church, but the flames had engulfed the warehouse. Firefighters encountered difficulties securing sufficient water supply for their efforts. A retired FDNY lieutenant noted that local hydrants lacked adequate volume, prompting the request for additional resources. Despite strong winds exacerbating the situation, no other structures on the 36-building campus, operated by Catholic Charities of Staten Island, were damaged. Fire marshals are currently investigating the cause of the blaze, with crews on-site expected to remain overnight.