Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Oh No! Broken Angel is Burning!
By
Jacob Dobkin
Published Oct 10, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jacob Dobkin
Published Oct 10, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Oh damn! The beautiful and strange Broken Angel building in Clinton Hill seems to be on fire! Brooklyn Record has the first shot-- is anyone in the area available to snap a few pictures of the damage? The building is on the corner of Downing and Quincy-- we're not going to be able to bike down there for at least a few hours.
Update: according to the Gothamist Newsmap, it's an all-hands call for the FDNY. Not surprising, given the all wood materials used in the top part of the building. The only question is how the firefighters are going to get in to fight the fire-- the building can't be safe to enter with heavy equipment.
Update: via Gothamist Contribute: "I called in to report the fire when I saw a little flame there at about 1:00. By the time the FD showed up, one of the top towers was pretty much engulfed in flame. They got a ladder truck up and sprayed it down and it's been out for about half an hour now. Photos on flickr momentarily."
Update, as promised, the photos have begun to arrive-- damage looks confined to the upper turrets of the tower. This one is by Reidab:

Update: Reidab also posted an account of the fire-- sounds like the FDNY saved the day:
The FD turnout was impressive. I think there were seven engines on surrounding streets within five minutes. By the time they arrived, the flames had grown to engulf the entirety of the upper tower. Soon, a bucket truck was up and they hosed down the tower continuously for several minutes, mostly extinguishing the fire.
There was still a small bit of the tower burning after the initial spray was shut off, but it remained tiny and didn’t spread. Some firefighters entered the structure and, after they emerged, a second round of spraying took care of the last bits of smoldering.
Tagged
architecture
bike
broken angel
brooklyn
Brooklyn Record
clinton
clinton hill
fdny
fire
gothamist
Gothamist Contribute
Gothamist Newsmap
photos
pictures
Jacob Dobkin
Jake Dobkin co-founded Gothamist with Jen Chung. In 2019, Jake released Ask a Native New Yorker, a book based on his Gothamist advice column.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .