Fire at La Nueva Union Bakery on Newkirk Ave

Last night at approximately 6:30pm a fire broke out La Nueva Union Bakery on Newkirk Avenue between 16th & 17th Streets. The owner Daniel Chen of the Colorful Nail Salon next door went into the restroom at approximately 6:45pm and heard a loud crackling sound behind the wall and overhead.

He couldn't idenify what the sound was, but decided to head down to the basement where he saw two workers from the La Nueva Union throwing buckets of water on two fires running up the wall. Both La Nueva Union bakery and Colorful Nail Salon share a basement. 

Daniel Chen told the La Nueva Union workers he was going to call 911. Mr. Chen ran upstairs called 911 and told everyone to leave the salon. Once outside one of the customers decided she wanted to run in and get a jacket she left behind. When she got back outside she told Mr. Chen that there was smoke and fire in the bathroom.

Approximately eight firetrucks responded and two ambulances. One of the fire fighters said the fire went up the wall from La Nueva Union Bakery and quickly spread to the second floor and under the roof, from there the fire crossed over to Colorful Nail Salon. The fire fighters got there in time to stop the fire from spreading to the other stores on Newkirk Avene. There were no injuries reported.

Erica a young lady that had been in the salon at 6:00pm, prior to the fire starting, said "You know your life can change, just like that."  How true.