Eleven people, including nine firefighters, suffered minor injuries arising from a two-alarm fire on the Grand Concourse at East Kingsbridge Road in Fordham Manor, less than 24 hours after a COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline for most City employees took effect. The resistance of many within the ranks of the FDNY to get vaccinated has reportedly led to a wave of retirements, sick-leave, and closures of some fire companies.

 

An unnamed FDNY official said the Fordham Manor fire was reported on the third floor of a six-story building at 2664 Grand Concourse at East Kingsbridge Road, at 2:48 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. The official said that 106 firefighters from 25 units were needed to bring the blaze under control, which it was at 4:14 p.m. the same day. He added that the two civilians refused medical attention.

 

A visit to the building on Sunday, Oct. 31, revealed the ceiling of the third-floor hallway was caked in black soot, as a coatrack with other personal belongings sat unattended nearby. The smell of fire permeated the air, even with most of the hallway windows on all floors opened. Even residents of the fifth floor were temporarily displaced due to water and smoke damage. One resident said firefighters had to knock down several walls to “get to the fire.”

 

Asked about the impacted residents, who were not present at the building on Sunday, third-floor neighbor, Maria Moore, told the Norwood News, “The dog died, but everybody is okay.” Referring to the residents of Apt. 3M, where she said she believes the fire began, Moore explained, “Yesterday, they had to go to a hotel.” Asked if she knew the cause of the fire, she added, “I heard there was a [power] surge with the electricity.”

 

On one floor above the apartment where the fire occurred, Norwood News observed a sticker on the front door of an apartment on which a tenant had written her number and had asked the Red Cross to contact her. When contacted on Monday, Nov. 1, “Arlene,” the tenant, said she had suffered severe water damage to her apartment and her windows were now boarded up with plywood.

 

Norwood News reached out to the Red Cross and provided Arlene’s information to them so she and her young son could be assisted with housing as they were reportedly staying “temporarily” with friends.

 

Breaking News Network (BNN) news service had reported on the day of the fire that the FDNY’s Division 7 had requested an additional engine and truck due to a “manning,” issue at the scene of the Fordham Manor fire. It is unknown if this was normal procedure or if this was specific to the fact that there was a reported shortage of firefighters available for duty following the vaccine mandate which went into effect the previous day. We reached out to the FDNY for comment. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

On Sunday, Oct. 31, WABC quoted Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island in New York’s 11th congressional district, as saying that the FDNY had shut 26 fire companies across the city, as firefighters were required to get at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine before the 5 p.m. deadline of Friday, Oct. 29.

 

Freelance journalist, Ginger Adams Otis, a former reporter and columnist at the New York Daily News, tweeted on Oct. 29, “Finally got confirmation that several @fdny fire companies out of service today due to firefighters taking medical leave. Asked about 9 companies (not firehouses, just companies) in Bronx mainly + Staten Island, 1 in Manhattan & 1 in Bklyn.”

 

On Monday, Nov. 1, Norwood News asked a source at the Uniformed Firefighters of America (UFOA), Local 854, for confirmation of the exact number of closed fire companies. The source directed calls to the FDNY. A request for a list of those Bronx companies that were closed due to manpower shortages was sent to the FDNY’s press office on Nov. 1. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

On Nov. 1, the FDNY tweeted that 77 percent of firefighters, 88 percent of EMTs and paramedics, and 91 percent of FDNY’s civilian employees had received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Besides the alleged wave of retirements and claims of a wildcat “sick-out,” some social media posts suggest that firefighters were being given two days off after getting their COVID-19 shot, to safely allow for any adverse reaction. Norwood News reached out to the FDNY for comment. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

During a press briefing on Nov. 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed that 9,000 city employees were currently on leave, without pay, among a workforce of nearly 400,000. Neither De Blasio nor FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro disputed reports that more than 2,000 firefighters had called out sick that day.

 

De Blasio told those in attendance, “It is imperative that everyone come to work and do their job. The taxpayers of this city rely on all of our public services, particularly our first responders.”

 

Nigro added, “Since the mandate was issued, our medical leave spiked up and we know that’s related to protests against the mandate. It’s obvious.” He continued, “On a regular day, 200 members of the FDNY call out sick. In the past week, it’s been 700 a day, most….the majority of them are unvaccinated. This is completely unacceptable.”

 

After reports of a wildcat walkout at the FDNY, the UFOA tweeted on Nov. 1, “If you are injured, you should request medical leave. If you are ill, you should request medical leave. If you are neither sick nor injured, you should report for duty when you are assigned.”

 

A social media post by user, Charles E Frizziola, who according to his social media channel, works as an EMT, posted that four companies in the Bronx were closed due to the manpower shortage. They were identified by the user as Engine 73 at 655 Prospect Avenue, Engine 42 at 1781 Monroe Avenue, Engine 92 at 1259 Morris Avenue and Squad 41 on East 150th Street. Norwood News has been unable to validate these assertions.

 

Meanwhile, the battle over the mandated COVID-19 vaccine waged on social media. In one social media group, in a discussion regarding the Oct. 30 Grand Concourse fire, social media user, Ian Jarmon tweeted, “I’m sure all those vaccine mandates helped to make units understaffed. Probably should just let people decide what they want to put in their bodies.” Meanwhile, social media user, Thomas Spellacy posted a photo blaming the mayor for a fire-related death in Harlem.

 

Just in time for Halloween, social media user, Matt McBride, tweeted, “Due to staffing shortages, any child dressed as a firefighter will be required to fill a shift. Thank you.”

 

In a separate Twitter thread about the Fordham Manor fire involving Councilman Oswald Feliz (C.D. 15,) social media user, Marcia Lewis replied to one anti-vaccine poster, tweeting, “If there is a shortage of firefighters, maybe they should be vaccinated. They had months to choose and not politicize this.”

 

In the same thread, social media user, Diana Finch tweeted, “Who is to blame for FDNY not getting vaccinated? The ex-pres. who politicized vaccines, didn’t support them, encouraged misinformation, and anti-science.”

 

On Nov. 2, a lengthy post by social media user, Andy Peoplez Singleton, who appeared to be writing the post from the perspective of at least some FDNY employees, wrote that the current situation was not solely about the vaccine mandate but stemmed from a wider discussion over many years of the agency being understaffed yet always showing up for the City.

 

He gave examples of 9/11 and the period during the height of the pandemic when many fire fighter colleagues were on sick leave due to COVID-19. He added that the narrative that the agency is anti-vaccine is a false one.

 

On Friday, Oct. 29, former District 12 City Councilman Andy King led his second, anti-vaccine demonstration outside the Bronx County Courthouse at East 161st Street and the Grand Concourse, where he was surrounded by fifty or so “anti-mandate” protesters, one carrying the famous revolutionary “Don’t Tread on Me” flag. Facing a half-dozen television cameras, King said, “Today, the City of New York, the State of New York and many across this great country… have imposed mandates that jeopardize all these thinking, beliefs and freedoms.”

 

As reported, King was expelled from the City Council in October 2020, after the conclusion of an ethics investigation which published reports of alleged misappropriation of funds and the alleged mistreatment of a female staff member at King’s Bronx office. King disputes the findings.

Meanwhile, a four-alarm fire was reported by the FDNY on Twitter at around 11.50 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 1, at 3650 Bailey Avenue, at W 238^th Street in Van Cortlandt Village. The fire apparently broke out on the first floor of a commercial building and was confirmed by FDNY at around 1.24 a.m. on Nov. 2, as being under control. Norwood News reached out to the FDNY for an update on any injuries.

 

An FDNY official responded, writing, “Units responded to 3650 Bailey Ave at 23:28 hrs for a report of fire in a one-story commercial occupancy/restaurant. Upon arrival, firefighters found a heavy smoke and fire condition and it quickly reached a second alarm, eventually going to a fourth alarm, bringing 39 units and 168 fire personnel to the scene.” The official added, “One firefighter was treated for a minor injury. Fire was put under control at 1:23 hrs.”

 

A separate fire was reported on Twitter by the FDNY in Williamsbridge at 1166 E 215^th Street on Nov. 1, at around 9.58 p.m. It was, reportedly, in the bedroom of a multiple dwelling (Apt 2C). Strangely, a separate tweet from the FDNY at 9.43 p.m. (15 minutes before the tweet calling for all hands to respond to the fire) confirmed that the fire was under control.

 

Norwood News reached out to the FDNY for clarification regarding the timing and sequence of the tweets regarding the fire as well as confirmation of any injuries. An FDNY official responded, writing, “21.19 hours. 1166 E 215^th St. for reports of fire. Building was a 3-story, multiple dwelling.  Fire placed under control at 21.42 hours. No injuries. Can’t speak to the tweets but it could be human error.”

Bronx All Hands Box 3653, 1166 E 215 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, BEDROOM

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) November 2, 2021

On Oct. 31, at around 10.55 p.m., the FDNY advised of another fire in Wakefield in a garage at 686 E 224^th Street. The agency confirmed in a tweet at around 11.17 p.m. that the fire was under control. Again, Norwood News reached out to the FDNY for details of any injuries. An official responded, writing, “10/31/21 @ 22.52 hours, 686 E 224^th St., for reports of a garage fire. 12 units responded, about 60 members. Fire placed under control at 23.16 hours. No injuries reported.”

 

On Thursday, Nov. 4 tweet, as reported, FDNY officials called for “all hands” to respond to a reported fire in a multiple dwelling at 124 Van Cortlandt Avenue West in Van Cortlandt Village at around 4.21 a.m. FDNY officials later confirmed to Norwood News that the fire occurred on the top floor apartment 7D of a 50 x 100, 7-story, multiple dwelling at 130 Van Cortlandt Avenue, was reported at 4.12 a.m. on Nov. 4, and advanced to a 3-alarm fire at 4.43 a.m.

 

They said this brought 33 units and about 138 members of the FDNY (in total) to the scene and the fire was placed under control at 6.12 a.m. There were five civilians injured who refused medical attention and three fire fighters who incurred minor injuries and were transported to area hospitals.

Bronx All Hands Box 3653, 1166 E 215 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, APT 2-C, Under Control

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) November 2, 2021

 

In a video posted to social media dated Nov. 4, presumed mayor-elect, Brooklyn Borough President and Democratic nominee, Eric Adams, was confronted by protestors in New York City over the ongoing dispute over vaccine mandates.

 

A further fire was reported in Kingsbridge on Friday morning, Nov. 5. FDNY reported that units responded to 2825 Sedgwick Ave at 04:45 a.m. for a fire on the balcony of a three-story, multiple dwelling. “With slight extension to the door, four units extinguished all fire, and the incident was closed normally at 6:15 a.m. with no injuries and no operational issues,” an official from FDNY said.

The following video contains multiple incidents of bad/offensive language. https://t.co/aSBfXuLKs9

— Norwood News (@NorwoodNews) November 6, 2021

Another fire was reported on Rikers Island on Friday night, Nov. 5. FDNY officials wrote, “Units responded to 15-00 Hazen St./Rikers Island Correctional Facility at 20.15 hrs for a report of fire on the 2^nd floor of a 7-story building/infirmary. 12 units/60 fire personnel put the fire under control at 21.17 hrs.” They said there were five reported injuries, including two correction officers, one  firefighter and two inmates. All were non-life threatening. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

 

On Saturday, Nov. 6, The New York Times reported that Mayor Bill de Blasio had reached an agreement with nine labor unions on COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

 

Norwood News is continuing to follow up with the FDNY in relation to the cause of the fires.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.