NYPD auto impound goes up in flames, destroying cars, evidence

A major fire at a New York City Police Department (NYPD) facility in Brooklyn on Tuesday likely destroyed much of the evidence that was being held there, according to police and fire officials. The fire is likely to burn for days and parts of the Erie Basin Auto Pound, in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighbourhood, have already collapsed. A full accounting of the damage won’t be possible until the department is able to go in and inspect the building, acting NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said at a press conference.

Eight people suffered minor injuries in the three-alarm fire, including three firefighters, authorities said. [The blaze “may have been sparked by an ion-lithium battery according to initial reports,” according to some outlets. —Ed.]

The facility is one of two auto pounds kept by the NYPD to store vehicles that have been seized as part of an investigation, an arrest or other legal reasons. It is not used to store vehicles that are towed as the result of parking violations. There are a “substantial” number of motorbikes and electric bikes at the Brooklyn auto pound, along with a few vehicles, Maddrey said. In addition, there is DNA and other biological evidence relating to burglaries and shootings, some dating back 20 or 30 years.

“Once it’s safe, the fire marshals, along with our arson and explosion squad will go in there,” Maddrey said at the press conference. “They’ll start to look and understand what the cause of the fire is and of course our property specialists will be able to go in there and see what’s damaged and what can be salvaged.”