Fire tears through Sleepy's in Marble Hill

UPDATED: March 9, 2011

A two-alarm fire broke out at 3:16 p.m. on March 2, devastating Sleepy’s in Marble Hill and leaving every front window broken and all the mattresses inside charred.

Ladders 36, 46 and 33 responded to the blaze, on Broadway near West 225th Street, and got it under control by approximately 4:13 p.m., according to FDNY officials.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

Video courtesy of Patrick Coyle

A Sleepy’s manager, who would not give his name, said he was not present during the fire and could not locate the one employee who had been working there during the day.

FDNY officials at the scene said they did not know how the blaze began. The incident is still being investigated, according to Captain Carlos Vazquez of Engine 81 Ladder 46.

Some bystanders speculated that the fire was no accident.

“It was arson,” one woman repeatedly told the crowd.

Jace Horsford, an employee at the McDonald’s next door, said he and other employees ran outside after coughing and tearing up because of smoke.

From the sidewalk, Mr. Horsford recorded video of gray smoke pouring out of the mattress store’s windows.

At approximately 4:40 p.m., firefighters were still shooting water onto the roof but there were no flames visible inside the store.

Both southbound lanes on Broadway, from West 225th Street to West 228th Street, were closed for almost two hours while firefighters secured the scene. They dragged blackened mattresses onto the curb as onlookers snapped photos and recorded videos with their phones.

“Sleepy’s is closed,” one firefighter mused.