c/o Friends of Morningside Park
A brush fire broke out in Morningside Park late Tuesday afternoon, and it wasn’t extinguished until nearly two hours after it was first reported. No one was hurt, but local park advocates say they’re still trying to figure out what the flames damaged.
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The fire was reported at 4:55 p.m. near West 114th Street and Morningside Drive, and firefighters put it out at 6:42 p.m., according to the FDNY. The FDNY’s report doesn’t list a cause.The flames were in the brush directly above the park’s waterfall, according to Friends of Morningside Park, which posted a photo of the fire burning on the rocky cliff over the pond. The group said no injuries have been reported, but it’s concerned about possible damage to the waterfall’s pumping system. It added that the extent of any damage hasn’t been confirmed.
The fire came to light thanks to people in the park. Friends of Morningside Park credited a community member named Lanre with reporting the fire and alerting the group so NYC Parks could be notified. The group also thanked neighbors who called 911, along with the FDNY, NYPD, and NYC Parks for their response.
In a follow-up post on Thursday, the group said it’s still gathering information to understand the fire’s impact on the surrounding area. It said it doesn’t have all the answers yet and promised to keep the community informed as it learns more. We’ve also reached out to the Parks Department and will update this post as we learn more.
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