United States - September 17, 2025 Video captures a five-alarm fire at 481 Van Brunt Street in Brooklyn on September 17, 2025. The FDNY responded in under three minutes, sending over 250 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene. Two firefighters sustained minor injuries. The fire affected a large, four-story commercial building, with heavy flames on the second, third, and fourth floors, extending through the roof. Due to structural instability, firefighters attacked the blaze from the exterior using large-caliber streams from the front and rear. Marine 9 assisted by directing water onto the rear of the building, which sits on the waterfront. Chief of Operations Kevin Woods explained, “Due to the amount of fire and the structural stability of the building, we removed our members and attacked the fire from the exterior, from the front and the rear with large caliber streams. The rear of this building is on the water, so we called in Marine 9, and we used some of their large caliber streams to extinguish the fire.” FDNY Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze. The incident highlights the department’s critical role, particularly in waterfront areas, amid ongoing challenges like budget cuts and staffing shortages.