Bronx Businesses Go Up in Smoke in Morning Fire

A three-alarm fire in the Bronx this morning took down nearly a dozen businesses. The blaze began inside Tavern on the Creek Bar in Westchester Square around 6 a.m. when it's believed that faulty electrical wires caught on fire. It rapidly spread through the ceiling to nearby businesses Square Flower Shop and National Coffee Shop among others. The owner of National, Mike Andreo, said, "They come, the fire department, they take everybody out, he told me, I say the fire is there, he told me kiss your store goodbye, I almost get a heart attack...I cry! What am I going to do!" The blaze took over 150 firefighters to put it out and FDNY said the lack of any serious injuries was incredibly fortunate (one firefighter did suffer minor injuries). Local City Councilman James Vacca pledged to help the businesses get back on their feet saying, "In this economy, we cannot afford to let them fail."