Fire Breaks Out On Roof Of Trump Tower In Midtown
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- At least two people were hurt when a fire broke out on top of Trump Tower in Midtown early Monday morning.
The FDNY says the fire started just before 7 a.m. in a cooling tower on the roof of the building on Fifth Avenue, which houses both residences and businesses.
"We're from Texas and we were walking down just to go into Trump Tower and we see all of this stuff and we're thinking, 'oh my goodness,'" tourist Devonne Cagle told CBS2's Reena Roy.
FDNY Chief Roger Sakowich said it was the Secret Service who first spotted smoke coming from the roof.
Rooftop fire at Trump tower out. 2minor injuries. Began in cooling tower. #FDNY no evacuations pic.twitter.com/ARv50D3PrG
— Marla Diamond (@MDiamond8) January 8, 2018
"They called the fire safety director in the lobby and by checking the cameras throughout the building, he did say that he had flames coming out of a vent on the top of the building," said Sakowich. "He called 911, so this came in as a phone alarm to us, not an automatic building alarm which is odd, in a building this size."
FDNYalerts MAN 7-5 721 5 AVE, MULTIPLE DWELLING (TRUMP TOWER) FIRE IN HVAC , LOCATED ON ROOF,
— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) January 8, 2018
Video from the scene showed firefighters on the roof as smoke billowed into the air. The FDNY said the fire was under control about an hour later.
"We were able to extinguish the fire without any problems within the building," Sakowich said.
FDNYalerts MAN 7-5 721 5 AVE, MULTIPLE DWELLING (TRUMP TOWER) FIRE IN HVAC , LOCATED ON ROOF, UNDER CONTROL
— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) January 8, 2018
Sakowich said two people suffered minor injuries.
"We had one minor injury to a firefighter, some debris fell on him," he said. "We had one engineer that got up there with a fire extinguisher and breathed in some of the smoke, but he's refused medical."
Officials said the fire was possibly caused by electrical heaters inside the cooling town, which keep the water from freezing in cold weather.
There was a small electrical fire in a cooling tower on the roof of Trump Tower. The New York Fire Department was here within minutes and did an incredible job. The men and women of the #FDNY are true heroes and deserve our most sincere thanks and praise! https://t.co/xuTmq1GBbj
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) January 8, 2018
President Donald Trump's son, Eric Trump, took to Twitter Monday morning to praise the response by the FDNY.
"There was a small electrical fire in a cooling tower on the roof of Trump Tower. The New York Fire Department was here within minutes and did an incredible job," he said. "The men and women of the #FDNY are true heroes and deserve our most sincere thanks and praise!"
Officials said the smoky conditions never made it into the building.