A massive rooftop fire in Manhattan cast a dark cloud over the city on St. Patrick’s Day.
FDNY shared footage of the blaze, which occurred on East 43rd Street.
Watch below:
The FDNY is operating at a fire on East 43rd Street in Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/SlJ0UrbSY8
— FDNY (@FDNY) March 17, 2026
“At this time, numerous firefighters and emergency crews are on scene battling a rooftop fire on East 43rd Street in Manhattan, near Grand Central. Thick smoke is rising into the air as crews work urgently to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading throughout the building,” Rawsalerts wrote.
“The incident is unfolding near St. Patrick’s Day parade activity, drawing significant attention as heavy smoke can reportedly be seen from miles away. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, and this is still a developing situation,” the post added.
🚨#BREAKING: Numerous firefighters are on the scene to a large rooftop fire with heavy black smoke that can be seen throughout the city
📌#Manhattan | #NewYork
At this time, numerous firefighters and emergency crews are on scene battling a rooftop fire on East 43rd Street in… pic.twitter.com/tWjgBXdAoB
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 17, 2026
More from the New York Post:
The inferno was sparked by a fire in the building’s air conditioning unit, police said.
Fire crews were able to knock out the flames before 11 a.m., when the parade kicked off.
No injuries were reported, according to cops.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the building was occupied at the time, but reports suggested it was under construction.
The city’s official emergency notification system warned of traffic delays, road closures, and mass transit disruptions as a result of the inferno.
Other clips shared on social media captured flames spouting from the top of the high-rise.
Channel 7 Eyewitness News shared video coverage:
BREAKING NEWS: Thick plumes of black smoke are billowing from the roof of a building in Midtown.
We'll have more updates at https://t.co/RUXHpDUFBQ as this story develops.https://t.co/kbxd47slcm pic.twitter.com/2QXoSsvfOT
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) March 17, 2026
Fox News noted:
During a press conference a man wearing a fire helmet that identified him as a deputy chief of the FDNY — who CBS New York identified as Deputy Chief Brian Whiston — explained that a cooling tower, part of an HVAC system, had caught on fire on a roof.
Whiston said the situation was “under control in about an hour and a half.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe incident occurred the same day as the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the Big Apple.
“We had no injuries, except for two minor,” he said, mentioning an “EMS lieutenant” as well as “a police officer.” He indicated the injuries were due to smoke.
