Emergency crews in Yonkers responded Saturday morning to a chemical-based three-alarm fire at a Yonkers warehouse.
It’s the second time this month that crews responded to a fire and hazmat situation at 143 Woodworth Ave – a household beauty products warehouse.
Executive Assistant Fire Chief PJ Goldfeder said the fire was sparked by a reaction from stored chemicals and is a “full hazmat assignment.”
According to Goldfeder, the first calls came in around 3 a.m. He says crews on scene witnessed smoke but no flames – and later realized it was from a chemical reaction coming from inside the warehouse.
"At approximately 7 a.m., there was an exothermic reaction causing the fire behind us," he told News 12.
He says an initial investigation has found that the fire appears to have started the same way the other fire started earlier this month.
The air was still being monitored for safety on Saturday afternoon.
"It's basic fire smoke. We are not alarmed by the chemicals. If we do start to get readings that the chemicals are affecting the smoke or traveling, we will evacuate the area," he said.
He tells News 12 that more than 10 firefighters sustained minor injuries. There were no civilian injuries reported.
Pictures from the scene showed large plumes of smoke above the neighborhood, which is close to a train station. Yonkers Fire Department officials say the scene was still active at 3:20 p.m. and that some companies were being released. Emergency crews will be there later tonight.
Goldfeder says officials with the MTA are monitoring the situation as well, as it is near the Metro North's Hudson Line.