NEWS

Mount Vernon: Artuso Pastry building lost in fire

Ken Valenti, and Greg Shillinglaw
TJN

MOUNT VERNON – Firefighters were expected to work through the night Monday to extinguish the last traces of a smoky three-alarm blaze that heavily damaged Artuso Pastry's wholesale facility.

Firefighters battle smoky blaze in a commercial building at 158 S. 12th Ave. in Mount Vernon, Nov. 3, 2014.

The roof of the business on South 12 Avenue collapsed during the 7 a.m. fire, covering areas that were still burning into the evening, Mount Vernon Deputy Fire Chief Tom Duffy said.

"They'll be out there through the night," Duffy said. "They won't be boarding up and investigating (until it's done). There's material burning underneath the roof structure."

He said the building was destroyed by the blaze.

"It totaled the building," Duffy said. "They had a complete collapse of the roof."

Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Duffy said.

New York City firefighters assisted Mount Vernon firefighters, who initially had issues with water supply before bringing the fire under control.

Artuso Pastry also has retail locations in Mamaroneck and near Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Nathaly Corridori, the general manager of Artuso Pastry's Bronx location, said she had been in touch with co-workers in Mount Vernon.

"From what we know, the fire started in the boiler room," she said. "Employees tried to put it out with fire extinguishers, but the fire spread quickly so they evacuated the building."

She said none of the 30 to 40 employees likely scheduled to work at the Mount Vernon site Monday were injured.

Corridori said Anthony Artuso Jr., the company's chief executive officer, was at the scene Monday morning. He could not be reached for comment.

The Mount Vernon site produces pastry products like cannoli shells and cannoli cream that are distributed nationally, said Corridori, who said it's the company's busiest time of the year.

"A lot of customers might be unhappy that they won't get their traditional Italian pastries at their holiday dinners," she said.

Heavy smoke billowing from the roof filled the street.

"When I arrived flames were shooting," said one nearby resident, Veronica Johnson. "It was scary. I hope and pray nobody is hurt."

Staff reporters Christopher Vaughan and Terence Corcoran and staff photographer Joe Larese contributed to this story.

Twitter: @kenv42