NYC fire: FDNY responds to Midtown Manhattan blaze near St Patrick's Day Parade 2026

The New York fire department is responding to a fire in Midtown Manhattan. Heavy plumes of smoke could be seen billowing out of a high-rise building near the starting point of the New York City (NYC) St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The New York City Fire Department shared a video update of the incident on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: “The FDNY is operating at a fire on East 43rd Street in Manhattan.”

In an update later, the NYC fire department warned the public of traffic delays, road closures and mass transit disruptions. It urged residents to use alternative routes and avoid East 43rd Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.

The cause of the huge fire atop of a 28-story building has not been established yet. 

According to CBS News, nearly 2 million people are participating in today's St. Patrick's Day Parade, which has already kicked off at around 10:00 a.m. without major disruptions. 

The building is under renovation, but fire officials said some workers could be inside.

The outlet quoted FDNY as saying the fire has been brought under control after nearly an hour long operation. No injuries have been reported so far.