**STATEN ISLAND, NY** — Firefighters from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) responded to a residential structure fire on Friday afternoon at 323 Rose Avenue.
The incident was reported shortly before 4:00 p.m., as thick plumes of smoke were observed emanating from a detached garage on the property. Local residents alerted authorities via the Citizen app, noting a strong odor of burning material and visible flames flickering from the structure’s eaves.
FDNY units arrived on the scene within minutes to find the garage fully involved. Firefighters immediately established a perimeter and deployed hose lines to prevent the fire from spreading to the main residential dwelling located just a few feet away.
"We heard a series of popping sounds, almost like small explosions, and then the garage just went up," said a neighbor who witnessed the initial stages of the blaze.
Crews successfully brought the fire under control by 4:25 p.m. While the garage suffered significant structural damage, fire officials confirmed that no injuries were reported among the occupants or the responding personnel.
The cause of the fire remains under active investigation by the FDNY Fire Marshal’s office. Officials have not yet determined if the fire was electrical in nature or caused by the storage of volatile materials common in residential garages.
Traffic on Rose Avenue was temporarily diverted while crews performed salvage and overhaul operations to ensure all hot spots were fully extinguished. Residents are reminded to ensure their smoke detectors are functional and to keep flammable materials stored safely away from heat sources.
