Friday, April 3, 2009

Astoria Diner damaged in fire

From the Queens Gazette:

The Astoria Diner, a fixture at 32-50 Steinway St. for many years, was damaged in a fire on Tuesday morning, March 31. Fire Department sources said an alarm was called in at 7:45 a.m. and the first units arrived on the scene seven minutes later, at 7:52. The blaze went to all-hands, with 12 units of equipment and 60 firefighters on the scene at 7:59. Nearly an hour later, at 8:55 a.m., the fire was deemed under control. No injuries to firefighters or civilians were reported. The fire was believed to have originated in the restaurant's ductwork.

7 comments:

Lino said...

What timing, I was there last Saturday for visit to Steinway in 6-7 years.

"The fire was believed to have originated in the restaurant's ductwork " -you probably should add:-greasy-unflushed-.

restaurants are supposed to have the ducts flushed every three months but as the upright businessmen they are, they instead bribe the cleaners to certify a cleaning and have it done, for real, only every six months.

You can get away with this _only_ if you clean the hood and louvers daily. Most of these greaseball places don't and this is what happens.

Fires and vermin are why restaurants are so unwelcome in many buildings.

Anonymous said...

That block has had a number of fires over the past two years.

It is becoming Spanish Steinway Street, like the other end is Arab Steinway Street.

What used to be a solid regional commerical district is well on its way to becoming just another immigrant slum 99 cent and sketchy club mecca Queens style.

Its no accident that the area, along the subway, is also about to be developed big time.

Butt ugly 6-7 story buildings are replacing 1 and 2 story (where ALL the fires have occured)

georgetheatheist said...

A fineway to play a Steinway.

Anonymous said...

Quick...
call in that young idealistic "Diner King" to save it!

Anonymous said...

Butt ugly 6-7 story buildings are replacing 1 and 2 story...

Well, actually the new buildings are 5-story.
And the funniest one is the still-skeletal, and rusting, NEW Mortgage World Bankers building that proudly displays a dusty sign reading "Coming soon in 2007"!

Anonymous said...

Well, actually the new buildings are 5-story.
And the funniest one is the still-skeletal, and rusting, NEW Mortgage World Bankers building that proudly displays a dusty sign reading "Coming soon in 2007"!

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You mean the one that is all but blocking the sidewalk?

When you add those pretentious 2 story hats on the 5 you get 7.

Hey, since we are on the topic of Astoria, how about Vallone's Astoria Civic honoring a developer real estate guy while the community is in the middle of a big upzoning.

How about that Crappy?

Anonymous said...

Greek lightning (a bolt from Zeus)?

Perhaps a cheap way to remodel once again?

That place is a roach-eria!

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