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Bryant Park Holiday Market Blaze: Fire Erupts in Iconic Seasonal Market, FDNY Responds Swiftly
Edited by: Fern Sidman
A dramatic fire erupted at Bryant Park’s renowned holiday market on Friday morning, sending towering plumes of black smoke over the Manhattan skyline and causing momentary panic among early visitors and vendors. According to a report in The New York Post, the blaze began around 9:20 a.m. at one of the festive market’s kiosks, which housed four small food-related businesses. The rapid response of the FDNY prevented a far more catastrophic outcome.
BREAKING: Bryant Park Christmas Market in NYC is on fire pic.twitter.com/WEWNx4LIUM
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 27, 2024
As reported by The New York Post, the fire broke out in a kiosk located inside the park on West 40th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. FDNY Battalion Chief Joe Castellano provided on-the-scene updates, explaining that the fire had fully engulfed the structure by the time firefighters arrived. “We found a fire in the kiosk behind me, approximately 6 feet by about 40 feet long,” Castellano said. “There was fire in there throughout.”
The New York Post report indicated that preliminary findings suggest the fire may have started as a trash fire, which then spread to the kiosk. However, the exact cause of ignition remains unclear, and fire marshals are actively investigating. A widely circulated photo showed a booth named Seapark, known for its lobster rolls and seafood fries, caught in the inferno, with bright orange flames consuming the structure.
Despite the alarming visuals and thick smoke, Castellano emphasized that the damage was not as severe as it initially appeared. As quoted by The New York Post, Castellano reassured the public: “There was slight damage to the adjacent kiosk, and there was some heat impingement on the roof of the ice skating rink behind the kiosk on fire. No real fire spread, just some flame impingement, and you see a little browning of the white roof structure.”
By approximately 10 a.m., the fire was declared under control, thanks to the swift and efficient efforts of the FDNY, as per the information provided in The New York Post report. Firefighters continued working for an additional half-hour to ensure all flames and hotspots were fully extinguished.
In a statement to The New York Post, a spokesperson for Bryant Park expressed gratitude for the rapid response: “We are grateful for the FDNY’s quick response to the incident that occurred earlier today. The Rink and The Lodge are currently open. Most of The Holiday Shops have reopened, and we expect all the Holiday Shops that were not affected by the fire to reopen later today.”
While there were no immediate reports of injuries, the New York Post report noted that investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire. The scene served as an unsettling reminder of a similar incident just 11 days prior at Herald Square, where a fire ravaged 18 holiday stalls selling everything from bratwurst to glass ornaments.
However, FDNY Chief Castellano dismissed concerns about any connection between the two fires. In a statement to The New York Post, he clarified, “I don’t think they were a concern at all. I just think we had two fires.”
For many New Yorkers and tourists, Bryant Park’s holiday market is a cherished seasonal tradition, and Friday’s blaze served as an alarming disruption to the festive atmosphere. Yet, thanks to the swift intervention of the FDNY and the resilience of the vendors and park management, normalcy was largely restored within hours.
As noted by The New York Post, the market remains largely operational, with only minimal structural damage and no loss of life reported. The incident underscores both the vulnerability of these temporary structures and the indispensable role of New York’s emergency services in safeguarding public spaces during the bustling holiday season.
