Fire rips through Johnson Avenue

$1 million lost

As Maggi Waters told it in the June 30 issue:

“Shock and disbelief were reflected in the faces of Johnson Avenue businessmen hastily called to the scene of a major three-alarm fire that destroyed their stores Friday night. Typical was the comment of Aaron Bennett, owner of the Johnson Food Center, ‘My whole life is gone — in five minutes,’ he said.”

More than 1,000 residents watched the blaze, which gutted eight stores and the Union Dime Savings Bank. Loss was estimated at well over $1 million dollars.

The fire started at 10:30 p.m. in the kitchen of the Blue Bay Restaurant. The entire roof of the structure collapsed before the flames were doused three hours later.

More than 80 firemen responded to the alarm, with companies coming from as far as away as Throgs Neck.