Fire Forces Local Soup Kitchen to Temporarily Close

The massive five-alarm fire on Fourth Ave. left a local soup kitchen with heavy flooding, smoke damage—and only a hope they can quickly re-open.

"We're definitely closed tomorrow," said Sister Mary Maloney, director of CHIPS, also known as Park Slope Christian Help, as she stood feet away and watched firefighters douse what was left of the flames that erupted above Danken Auto Parts.

Sister Mary said about 100 people seeking a warm meal were inside eating when the fire started and everyone was quickly evacuated.

"Half their meals were on the table," she said.

Along with those who were at CHIPS on Friday to eat, nine mothers and eight children had been sheltered in the studio apartments above the soup kitchen. The Red Cross is currently finding shelter for those families.

Now Sister Mary's chief concern is getting the long-standing organization, which serves more than 70,000 meals and provides temporary shelter to more than 2,000 people every year, up and running again.

"There's not many soup kitchens open on a Saturday, so that's a problem," she said, adding that she hopes to be able to open their doors on Monday. "I feel bad."

The damage was visible everywhere inside the first floor: numerous water-filled bubbles bulged from the paint on the ceiling, water flooded the floors and the acrid smell of smoke permeated throughout the darkened building.

"The place is flooded all over," said Sister Mary, adding that she had not yet been able to get to her upstairs office to see if the building's insurance covers fire damage.

"Right now we don't have the money to [fix the damage]," she said.