Brooklyn Heights Blog

Photo by Marc Hermann/BHB

It’s ba-aaaaack!  Kernel panic returned to the UA Cinemas at 106 Court St. tonight in an incident nearly identical to one that happened last month. Read more »

The acrid odor of smoke in the area this morning is wafting in from a three-alarm fire in a vacant building in Long Island City.  Lots of people in our area, however, are calling the Fire Department, hence the cacophony of sirens.  No major conflagrations here, though.

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

It took some wriggling, courtesy of the Fire Department, to assist this straphanger who took an express route down the stairs at the Borough Hall station, and ended up with his foot caught between the bottom step and the railing’s vertical support.  It happened just after 6:30 tonight on the stairs below the Municipal Building.  Engine Co. 224 and Ladder Co. 110 responded with hydraulic tools—just in case—but were able to free him without much effort.  He didn’t make his train, however, and instead found himself in the back of an ambulance, en route to Long Island College Hospital for observation.

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

A man was pistol-whipped shortly before 9:00 Thursday night in front of 61 Pierrepont St., between Henry and Hicks.  According to witnesses, the man, who walks with crutches, was going to his car that was parked in front of the building when he was approached by a person described as a black male in his 30’s.  The person produced a firearm and struck the victim on the head.  His screams alerted neighbors, and the assailant fled in a white, 2007 Toyota, with license plate EME 5052. Read more »

Photo by Marc Hermann/BHB

It made a sound, and there were plenty of people around to hear it.  Read more »

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

Mayor Bloomberg put pen to paper yesterday, signing Intro 871-A, a bill authorizing tenants in office buildings with freight elevators to bring their bicycles inside.  Brooklyn Heights City Councilman David Yassky introduced the legislation after his wife was prohibited from bringing her wheels into her office building several years ago.  Under the new law, these buildings must show a bicycle access plan to the DOT, unless they can demonstrate that their freight elevators are unsafe for routine traffic, or if there is adequate free off-street parking within three blocks.  

A temporary bicycle commuting task force would also be created, which will report to the Mayor and City Council next year about efforts to establish enclosed bike parking in public/private locations.

Photo by Marc Hermann/BHB

A distraught man kept police at bay for over 30 minutes last night as he threatened to jump from the Brooklyn Bridge.  The drama unfolded shortly after 10:30 p.m. with reports of a man, armed with a knife, threatening to commit suicide.  Police responded, and found the man clinging to the outside edge of the bridgework, west of the Brooklyn tower, along the Manhattan-bound lanes of traffic.

Cops from the Emergency Service Squad secured themselves to the bridge, and attempted to initiate conversation, as police and fire boats circled nearby.  The officers encountered difficulty communicating with the subject, as he could only speak Arabic.  An Arabic-speaking officer, assigned to the Transit Bureau, was located and hurried to the scene.

Read more »

EJ Cory for BHB

The Fire Department is currently operating at a fire in the UA multiplex at 106 Court St. The fire is reportedly on the first floor and has been extinguished, but a smoke condition has pervaded the building, and an evacuation is in progress.

Sarah Portlock/BHB

UPDATE (4:00 p.m.) - FD reports the fire originated in a popcorn machine.  One person is complaining of chest pains, and six others are being evaluated by EMS.

Update: (6:20pm from Sarah Portlock): Cheryl Zellman, of Marine Park, was watching the previews for the 3:15pm Funny People when she said there was a beeping sound and a movie theater employee told the audience to evacuate. Zellman said she didn’t see anyone panic, and was waiting patiently on State Street for the commotion to quiet down.

“I have to say, the people who work there were really good — they really handled it well,”  Zellman said. “there was a lot of smoke.  The firetrucks came almost immediately.”

With Sarah Portlock at the scene.

Barney’s Smoke Shop, once a staple institution of Court Street, now a hole-in-the-wall on Schermerhorn Street, was burglarized this hour. The Panatela Perps were seen leaving with a large white bag of merchandise.

Police are looking for three teens who held up a person near the intersection of Garden Pl. and State St. shortly before 8:00 tonight. The perps were wearing hoodies, displayed “what appeared to be firearms” (although they may have been fakes), and fled east on State St.