Fire at UES Marine Transfer Station

Plumes of smoke rose over the Upper East Side after a fire broke out Sunday afternoon at the Marine Transfer Station construction site at East 91st Street and the FDR drive.

At approximately 3 p.m. on Oct. 22, the FDNY received a call that a sidewalk shed at the site on East 91st Street had caught fire. The department responded to the call and controlled the fire at 3:40 p.m. The fire did not impact the transfer station itself and there were no injuries or evacuations, according to an FDNY spokesperson. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The waste transfer station, which is currently under construction, has faced persistent public opposition from residents and local elected officials, who fear that the facility’s operation will adversely impact traffic congestion and air quality in the neighborhood, among other concerns.

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, whose district includes the transfer station, visited the construction site Sunday after the fire. Seawright, who has opposed the project, said in a statement that she remains “deeply concerned about the impact of the Waste Transfer Station,” particularly due to its proximity to youth athletics facilities at the adjacent Asphalt Green recreation center.

“We are of course grateful that no one was harmed,” Seawright said. “Nevertheless, there should be a full investigation by the appropriate governmental agencies responsible for safety oversight.”