Crime & Safety

Man Rescued From Burning Building in Downtown Brooklyn

Fire guts Spanish-American restaurant, beauty shop on Willoughby Street.

A fire that broke out Tuesday morning gutted two businesses, sent six firefighters to the hospital and led to a third-floor rescue from one of the building's upper floors.

The blaze started at 10:44 a.m. on the second floor of a five-story structure at 76 Willoughby St. at Bridge Street in Downtown Brooklyn, according to a FDNY spokesman.

The second floor was occupied by a beauty parlor. For the past four years, the ground floor housed El Tio Pio, a Spanish-American restaurant owned by Javier Espinoza, who was at the scene.

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Both businesses appeared to be gutted in the fire.

"It doesn't look good," Espinoza said as he waited for the all clear from fire officials to investigate what was left of his establishment.

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Espinoza said his business was insured.

A man described by an El Tio Pio employee as being in his 50s was rescued through a third-story window by firefighters. The man was treated at the scene and released, the FDNY said.

Six firefighters were transported to Long Island College Hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said.

The blaze was brought under control at 11:36 a.m. 106 firefighters from 25 units responded to the scene.

Tuesday's fire seemed to cap a tough period for Espinoza, the owner of a 10-year-old business once located around the corner on Bridge Street.

"This is the busiest it's been in a while," he said, watching scores of firefighters go by.


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