Five Injured in Three-Alarm Fire on Church Ave in Brooklyn

Blaze tears through mixed-use building, sending residents to the hospital

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A three-alarm fire in East Flatbush, Brooklyn sent five people to the hospital on Friday night, February 20, after flames tore through a mixed-use building on Church Avenue. Firefighters responded to the scene around 10:30 p.m. and found heavy fire inside a third-floor apartment, with flames briefly pushing through the roof. Crews worked to contain the blaze and rescued multiple people from the structure before bringing the situation under control just before midnight.

Why it matters

Residential fires can cause significant property damage and put lives at risk, especially in densely populated urban areas like Brooklyn. This incident highlights the importance of fire safety and the need for effective emergency response to protect local communities.

The details

The building at 3322 Church Ave includes a storefront on the ground level with several apartments above it. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire inside a third-floor apartment, and the flames briefly pushed through the roof. More than 170 firefighters responded and launched an aggressive interior attack to stop the spread of the fire. During the response, firefighters rescued multiple people from the structure.

  • The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • Firefighters brought the situation under control just before midnight.

The players

New York Fire Department

The fire department that responded to the incident and is now investigating the cause of the blaze.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety and the need for effective emergency response to protect local communities, especially in densely populated urban areas like Brooklyn.