A Midtown Manhattan holiday hot spot got a little too hot — as part of it erupted into a flaming inferno.
A fire tore through Bryant Park’s Winter Village Friday, destroying a 40-foot long kiosk, FDNY officials said.
The fire broke out inside the kiosk in the Midtown park at Sixth Ave. and W. 42nd St. about 9:30 a.m., officials said.
Flames sent up a large plume of smoke that could be seen for blocks.
Firefighters responded within a few minutes, FDNY Battalion Chief Joe Castellano said. The blaze was put out by 10 a.m.
No injuries were reported.
An employee cleans up an empanadas store after the fire in Bryant Park on Friday. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“There were several occupancies in the area with fire throughout,” Castellano explained. “There was some damage to an adjacent kiosk and some heat damage to the roof of an ice skating rink.”
The fire completely gutted the kiosk. When the fire was doused, charred bits of wood and soot-covered metal cabinets were pulled out from under its scorched white canopy.
The kiosk had been segmented into four sections, each occupied by a business selling holiday-themed food and gifts.
An FDNY battalion chief investigates the aftermath of a blaze at the outdoor holiday market at Bryant Park on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in New York. (FDNY via AP)
Some of the kiosk’s sections were outfitted with small kitchens, FDNY officials said.
City fire marshals later determined that the fire had been accidentally sparked by “cooking oil coming in contact with combustibles.”
Police officers and firefighters gathered around the remnants of burned stores at the Bryant Park holiday market. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Originally Published: December 27, 2024 at 4:00 PM EST
