NEW YORK, N.Y. --An early morning blaze gutted a beloved West Village party store today, completely destroying the business and leaving two firefighters hospitalized, authorities said.
Firefighters got the call at 7:16 a.m. of a fire at the Village Paper Party Store on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and West 10th Street. The blaze spread quickly as it ignited the store's inventory, which included a large number of paper products, costumes and other party supplies, officials said.
It took less than an hour to bring the fire under control, but by that time, the entire store was destroyed and two firefighters were sent to St. Vincent's Hospital with minor injuries after part of the ceiling collapsed on them, fire officials said.
The fire also damaged a children's toy store next door, called Kid O.
Village Paper's devastated owner, Sun Wong, 45, who has run the business with his wife for nearly two decades, was crushed.
"Someone called and told me there was an explosion and a fire. I spent almost 20 years there. I worked so hard for the store. I am very sad," he said, with tears welling up in his eyes.
Authorities said they were investigating what caused the fire.
An employee who discovered the devastation after getting off the subway to go to work, called the store's destruction was a great loss for the neighborhood.
"The owners been here since at least the early 1990s," he said. "They are here every day. They never took off. They are part of the community."
Douglas King, 75, who has lived nearby for over 35 years, said he felt very sad that Wong's business was gone.
"It's very sad. They are such sweet people," he said.
James You, 45, who owns Greenwich Avenue Cleaners across the street said business had generally been slow lately, and that the loss of another business was not good for the neighborhood.
"This area is slow. It's very quiet. I feel sorry for them. Business has been slow around here and for this to happen is terrible," he said.
Republished with permission of The New York Post.
