Fire in shops, apartments on Port Chester's Midland AvenuePHOTO: Port Chester firefighters battle a 4-alarm fire that destroyed businesses and apartments on Midland Avenue in Port Chester today. / Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News
.... Port Chester Fire Chief Kevin McFadden said there was no immediate indication of the cause of the fire, or where it started.
"We're just trying to contain the fire at this time," he said.
One firefighter had been taken to Greenwich Hospital as of 4 p.m. for treatment of smoke inhalation, the chief said.
Port Chester Trustee John Branca said he was helping out behind the counter at "DaDa" Radice candy and newspaper shop next to Cafe Roma when someone ran in to tell them to call 911 because there was smoke coming from Harbor Marine.
Police Officer John Bykowski, one of two officers first on the scene, said "everybody seemed to be out of the building" when he arrived.
He said he entered the burning building and assisted a young woman with a baby as she was coming down the stairs.
The two officers went upstairs and knocked on some doors before the smoke overcame them. They left through a fire escape...
....Daniel Radice, 79, longtime owner of "DaDa" Radice, was in his house behind the store when the fire broke out and got out safely after seeing the smoke.
"It could be worse. Nobody got hurt. That's the main thing," Radice said as he watched the firefighting efforts from a parking lot across the street. Radice's store was engulfed in smoke and water spray, but it was unclear how much damage it sustained.
Others were gathered in the parking lots of Midland Plaza shopping center across the street and the Home Depot down the block watching the firefighters pour water onto the blaze from ladders and a truck.
Mayor Dennis Pilla said the four-family building had been inspected in November and the owners were informed it needed exit signs, smoke detectors and emergency lighting. It passed inspection in January after the items were corrected, he said.
COMMENT:
Former Westmore News columnist and Port Chester Planning Board Member Bart "My Downtown Office Had No CO" Didden seems to be keeping a low profile, However, Port Chester Roundup will try and get a response about the fre from the infamous downtown building code lawbreaker.
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