Fire at ConEd Plant in Vinegar Hill Yesterday (Again)

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A fire at the 89 John Street Con Ed substation in Vinegar Hill Brooklyn broke out yesterday (on Plymouth Street between Gold and Bridge Streets) at approximately 5:15pm. News first broke on Twitter before we called 911 to report the incident. Neighbors heard an explosion, followed by a fire and thick black smoke. FDNY controlled the fire by 6:30p and no injuries were reported.

This is the second such fire at the ConEd plant in the past year.

Watch the video of the fire:

By the way, anyone have any information on future plans for the John Street ConEd substation?

Photos and videos by Chris Frank

24 Comment

  • This substation needs to go. I realize it’s rightfully theirs to keep and operate but I wish there were an organized effort to persuade them to sell the highly valuable waterfront property. Vinegar Hill could really flourish with that thing gone. If they ever do sell, it will be a great day to be a Kirkman Loft resident.

  • This substation needs to go. I realize it’s rightfully theirs to keep and operate but I wish there were an organized effort to persuade them to sell the highly valuable waterfront property. Vinegar Hill could really flourish with that thing gone. If they ever do sell, it will be a great day to be a Kirkman Loft resident.

  • I’ve just bought an apartment at 205 Water Street and was told there were plans to extend Brooklyn Bridge park where the current ConEd Plant is. Not sure if there’s any truth/certainty in that (it certainly didn’t factor in my choice for the 205 appt).

  • I’ve just bought an apartment at 205 Water Street and was told there were plans to extend Brooklyn Bridge park where the current ConEd Plant is. Not sure if there’s any truth/certainty in that (it certainly didn’t factor in my choice for the 205 appt).

  • I think future Kirkman loft residents will be fine. I think they have to worry more about getting their ass’s mugged as opposed to being blown up by con ed.

  • I think future Kirkman loft residents will be fine. I think they have to worry more about getting their ass’s mugged as opposed to being blown up by con ed.

  • The substations are not going anywhere.

  • The substations are not going anywhere.

  • The only definite extension of BBP is to the vacant lot at John & Adams, which seems to bounce between being developed as residential property or developed as parkland.

    The only way the main plant goes away is if we cease using electricity.

  • The only definite extension of BBP is to the vacant lot at John & Adams, which seems to bounce between being developed as residential property or developed as parkland.

    The only way the main plant goes away is if we cease using electricity.

  • DumboNYC reported on a Brooklyn Eagle article that there was talk of ConEd dismantling the plant.

    http://dumbonyc.com/2011/08/15/could-vinegar-hill-coned-plant-be-repurposed-as-part-of-brooklyn-bridge-park/

    Certainly not concrete information but there have been rumblings for some time that ConEd is looking to relocate the plant. If so, there would potentially be opportunity for Brooklyn Bridge Park to acquire the land.

  • DumboNYC reported on a Brooklyn Eagle article that there was talk of ConEd dismantling the plant.

    http://dumbonyc.com/2011/08/15/could-vinegar-hill-coned-plant-be-repurposed-as-part-of-brooklyn-bridge-park/

    Certainly not concrete information but there have been rumblings for some time that ConEd is looking to relocate the plant. If so, there would potentially be opportunity for Brooklyn Bridge Park to acquire the land.

  • The con-ed ‘people’ have confirmed that the plant is in fact going to be torn down. But its going to be a long and slow process. The transformers and supporting grid (in the photos above) is not going to be torn down.

  • The con-ed ‘people’ have confirmed that the plant is in fact going to be torn down. But its going to be a long and slow process. The transformers and supporting grid (in the photos above) is not going to be torn down.

  • Our car is at the right-hand side in the photo and video above, with the rear window smashed out by transformer debris from the explosion, which ended up inside the car. Our dog was inside too and was rescued by a firefighter.

    Later, we encountered ConEd and FDNY hazmat crews, who told us the area was being tested for PCB’s. When we told them the dog was now at home playing with our 20-month-old son, they freaked – told us to separate the dog and baby (mother-in-law babysitting), wash the baby and all his clothes, wash the dog well and then wash the bathtub.

    The next day ConEd called to say the car was “clean” and that we could pick it up. Surprised and not wanting to risk our family’s health, we asked for a copy of the environmental report first. They ignored repeated requests, verbal and written, until yesterday afternoon, when we received the almost two-week-old report via email. I’ve forwarded it to this blog.

    It turns out they never even tested inside the car – despite the breached window and transformer debris inside – and that PCB levels at the curb a few feet away were triple the level ConEd told us they consider hazardous.

    Now we’re struggling to get them to replace the car – would you put your family in it? “It’s clean!” = “We didn’t test it.”

    We don’t live in the neighborhood, so consider this a heads-up: you might want to find out how “clean” your streets actually are – according to ConEd’s internal report and stated standards, they’re not.

  • Our car is at the right-hand side in the photo and video above, with the rear window smashed out by transformer debris from the explosion, which ended up inside the car. Our dog was inside too and was rescued by a firefighter.

    Later, we encountered ConEd and FDNY hazmat crews, who told us the area was being tested for PCB’s. When we told them the dog was now at home playing with our 20-month-old son, they freaked – told us to separate the dog and baby (mother-in-law babysitting), wash the baby and all his clothes, wash the dog well and then wash the bathtub.

    The next day ConEd called to say the car was “clean” and that we could pick it up. Surprised and not wanting to risk our family’s health, we asked for a copy of the environmental report first. They ignored repeated requests, verbal and written, until yesterday afternoon, when we received the almost two-week-old report via email. I’ve forwarded it to this blog.

    It turns out they never even tested inside the car – despite the breached window and transformer debris inside – and that PCB levels at the curb a few feet away were triple the level ConEd told us they consider hazardous.

    Now we’re struggling to get them to replace the car – would you put your family in it? “It’s clean!” = “We didn’t test it.”

    We don’t live in the neighborhood, so consider this a heads-up: you might want to find out how “clean” your streets actually are – according to ConEd’s internal report and stated standards, they’re not.

  • Peter, thank you for the info, and sorry to hear you had to go through this experience. We’ll post results from the environmental chemlab report this week.

  • Peter, thank you for the info, and sorry to hear you had to go through this experience. We’ll post results from the environmental chemlab report this week.

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  • Pingback: Dumbo NYC, Brooklyn » Archive » ConEd Substation Explosion Collateral Damage (DumboNYC.com)

  • Con Ed is not going to be selling their land so get over Brooklyn Bridge Park going there. You people must live in some sort of TV reality world.

  • Con Ed is not going to be selling their land so get over Brooklyn Bridge Park going there. You people must live in some sort of TV reality world.