NYPD Auto Pound Blaze Will Burn For Days, 8 Injured In Brooklyn: FDNY

BROOKLYN, NY — Eight people were injured in a massive blaze at a Brooklyn NYPD auto pound that fire officials warn will likely burn for days, according to the FDNY.

Three firefighters, three medics and two civilians received minor injuries in the three-alarm fire that erupted at Columbia and Halleck streets about 10:35 a.m., according to the FDNY and Emergency Management office.

“We attempted an interior fire attack, but the members were overwhelmed by the amount of fire,” FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

"We had to back all of our firefighters out of the building and go to an exterior attack,” Hodgens added. “This fire is probably going to go on for a few days."

The FDNY sent 140 firefighters from 33 units to battle the flames, a department spokesperson said. The cause of the fire remained unknown.

The New York City Police Department's website lists the address as a location used to store vehicles that have been seized for reasons other than parking violations.

According to the NYPD, a vehicle might be brought to the location following the arrest of the vehicle's operator, or if the vehicle is part of an investigation or has been seized for legal reasons.

"Expect smoke & traffic delays in area," Notify NYC officials tweeted. "People nearby avoid smoke, close windows."

The NYPD 76th Precinct warned commuters to avoid the area of Columbia Street near Erie Basin in Red Hook, as roads were closed near Columbia Street and Bay Street.

Brooklynites took to Citizen to share video and photographs of black smoke billowing into the sky, which was visible from Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights to Sunset Park.