Majors

Fire Threatens Tiffany & Co.’s Newly Renovated NYC Flagship

MajorsJun 30, 2023

Fire Threatens Tiffany & Co.’s Newly Renovated NYC Flagship

Around 100 people were evacuated and two minor injuries reported after an electrical fire broke out next to the store Thursday morning.

Interior of Tiffany & Co. The Landmark flagship store
A view inside the newly renovated Tiffany & Co. flagship store in New York. The store, located on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, was evacuated Thursday morning due to an electrical fire.
New York—A fire broke out Thursday morning just outside Tiffany & Co.’s newly renovated flagship store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York.

The New York City Fire Department said it received reports of smoke around the building at 9:38 a.m.

In a statement, Joseph Carlsen, FDNY deputy chief of Division 3, said, “When we came on scene, we determined that it was smoke and fire from the transformer vault. We checked the inside of the building and we evacuated about 100 people or so from the building.”

The transformer fire began in the electrical vault next to the store, sending smoke through the air, though the fire remained within the vault and did not extend into the flagship, said FDNY.

Around 80 FDNY members from 14 units responded to the scene, as well as employees from energy company Con Edison.

 
Two people suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals.

The FDNY found no signs of arson, Carlsen added, and had the scene under control by noon.

In a statement, Tiffany said, “This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City.”

The jeweler said it was working with the FDNY to take “precautionary measures” for the safety of its employees and customers.

The store was not open Thursday, but, as of press time, was expected to be open Friday following an inspection by the fire marshal.

The revamped flagship, known as “The Landmark,” opened to the public in late April after nearly four years of renovations.

The 10-story space boasts an outdoor terrace, a spiral staircase, around 40 works of art, and a redesigned Blue Box Café.

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