Fire Breaks Out in Sea Gate Shul

By COLlive reporter

Flames tore through the roof of a south Brooklyn synagogue early Thursday, as Jews across the city capped off the second day of Pesach, the New York Daily News reported.

Firefighters responded to a fire at the Kneses Israel on Nautilus Avenue in Sea Gate shortly after midnight, the News reported. The blaze was under control by 3 a.m., officials said.

One person suffered minor injuries, according to authorities.

The synagogue is led by Rabbi Chaim Brikman, a Chabad Shliach and director of Chabad by the Ocean which serves Sea Gate and Coney Island.

Video posted to social media showed flames and thick plumes of smoke spewing out the top of the two and a half story synagogue. Rabbi Brikman said the shul building and furniture suffered from immense damage, but that the Torah scrolls were saved.

His wife, Rivkah Brikman, wrote on Facebook: “It is hard for me to express the love that we have for our shul. It holds 100 years of our communities history.”

It was not immediately clear what sparked the blaze.

Neighbors and community members gathered around for support. One of them commented, “this is a tragedy for the whole community because the “big shul” is the pulse of the entire Seagate.”

Brikman said: “After hurricane Sandy, we united and became stronger. Let us do the same now and turn this tragedy into growth. Let’s fight this fire with the fire of love, friendship and community!”

VIDEO:

To donate to the rebuilding of the shul, click here

Brooklyn: 3801 Nautilus Ave. (Seagate) @FDNY operating at a 2nd Alarm Fire in A Synagogue pic.twitter.com/KYKqv3V8qf

— NYRRT (@NYRRT) April 13, 2017