Several people in Brooklyn are without a home and a popular neighborhood pharmacy is shut down after a fire broke out in a Williamsburg apartment building Saturday night.

“I started smelling smoke,” said Grant Kelly, who lives across the street.

Neighbors like Kelly said they knew something was wrong at 335 Graham Ave.


What You Need To Know

  • Several people in Brooklyn are without a home and a popular neighborhood pharmacy, City Chemist, is shut down after a fire broke out in a Williamsburg apartment building Saturday night

  • The fire traveled quickly, starting in one building and spreading to two neighboring buildings, according to the FDNY

  • The incident hits close to home for Ricky Kenig who works at City Chemist a few days a week. He was supposed to be on shift on Sunday

  • NY1 spoke to community members who say they're devastated about what happened to their beloved pharmacy

The fire traveled quickly, starting in one building and spreading to two neighboring buildings, according to the FDNY. Around 200 firefighters and EMS personnel responded.

“I saw so many firefighters hard at work, this whole street was lined up with them,” said Frank Haines, another community member.

The mixed-used buildings are home to businesses on the bottom and apartments on top. Community members said they’re devastated about what happened to their beloved pharmacy and beauty store City Chemist.

“It’s sad, yeah, I love City Chemist,” said Haines.

“I just feel bad for the business because that’s some huge damage, that’s ridiculous,” said Luis Bron, who works in the neighborhood.

“City Chemist has a lot of nice people,” said Kenzo Takemura, 8, who came to check out the scene with his mother. “And there’s this one old woman that I really like because she was always really kind to me.”

Kelly, who came out to see firefighters fighting the blaze on Saturday night, said he wanted to come out on Sunday to see the aftermath. “It’s pretty devastating. And I actually didn’t realize how much damage happened on the bottom floor here.”

There were two minor injuries, one firefighter and one civilian. The incident hits close to home for Ricky Kenig, who works at City Chemist a few days a week. He was supposed to be on shift on Sunday.

“This particular store is everybody’s favorite store because they’re local, they have everything, super great people, staff, everything, this is incredible,” said Kenig. “They’re super family people, super neighborhood.”

Meanwhile, the Red Cross said it’s helping several families who’ve been displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation.