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NYC neighborhood hit by 'absolute, total devastation'

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    Six-alarm fire destroys at least 80 homes in Queens, NY

  • Duration 6:27
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When his -- -- stories -- that has surfaced so far this disaster is a six alarm fire that has destroyed.

Fifty.

Homes.

-- perhaps the entire community in breezy point New York City.

Nearly 200 firefighters responded to this scene and they found a large number of people.

Who had not gotten now who had ignored the warnings before the water started rising.

And that forced in many cases the FT NY to put their own lives at risk to -- the people from those flames and that danger.

And there's a reason you know why they would be very concerned about that community which -- -- in a moment I'm joining me now on the phone.

New York City councilman Eric all -- he represents breezy -- queens and look at the aftermath it looks like a bomb hit.

This section.

Of New York.

Mr.

all -- I'm so sorry.

For what has happened to your community what what can you tell us at this point.

Like I just left Iraq or repayment plan and as you describe that is is what it looks like absolute and total devastation is so stead.

That's just did the destruction that has taken place as a result of this storm not only from the flooding the flooding -- is certainly expensive and and considerable.

But as you mention that the damage from fires not only in breezy point where where is at its worst but also in Belle harbor where so many buildings.

Burned down to the foundations the -- department has been there and and and most of the fires have been contained and reduced to.

-- -- smoldering foundations but for the most part just total devastation.

And and and we're still trying to assess.

If there was any loss to human life or any other damage.

You know -- folks there are talking about this community and seeing that there's a lot of retired NYPD.

A lot of retired firefighters that lives in this community.

I can you can you confirm that.

Floyd it is these people -- salt of the earth some of the finest people on the hardest working people of New York City as you mentioned -- fired an act of cops and firemen.

-- teachers and and unfortunate just got a text from my phone now that my friend in the congressman Bob Turner his house also burned down.

Until one of those fifty homes ravaged by fire our -- congressman.

Bob.

-- let me -- him as as a guest on the show and and our heart goes -- to him and everybody in these communities and and the pictures are just incredible.

You know it in terms of of lives and is that securing it in those who are out there will give us an update if he can't what they're telling you about who may still be out there anybody brought it.

I believe that that almost everyone has been accounted for and thank god for our.

EMS workers and our police department and our fire department and the volunteer part apartments and breezy point god bless them for -- -- -- ingredient trying to rescue people to evacuate people get people to safety and trying to contain some of the fires.

Last night was horrific for so many people were trapped.

Literally trapped in breezy point.

Calling 911 thing my house is on fire or the house next to me is on fire and no one could get to them.

It's anyone's worst nightmare and yet today as -- you know that the skies are clearing up we're thankful that that.

To my knowledge there hasn't been anyone who was killed -- by a fire breezy point.

You know it but it's just total total devastation.

Keep this picture up and as a councilman talks because.

And that is exactly what breezy point New York looks like this morning I mean every home in this.

It in the view of this camera is simply not there the trees have been fried.

And -- it is absolutely.

Devastating.

-- to look at this picture and think about this community and I was also reminded.

That this is the area everyone remember shortly after September 11 plane went down in this area well there was a player.

-- and not to let everybody down and belt Auburn not far from.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Ravaged by fires last night -- and as I was in Belle harbor about an hour ago or so many people who who who live in Griese who escaped breezy point.

Had told me that all they could do is stand -- and watched.

Last night as they saw the red and orange glow in the guiding new.

That there were out of control fires and their community and that they were helpless but there was nothing that they can do about what a horrible feeling a -- been to those people to know that they have lost everything.

And -- that there SA mint just you know screams out I mean right now as what people can do -- -- because one of the then this as you point out this is a group of people who live in this community wanna help anybody in any community but it's clearly a special group.

That was -- -- I saw the Red Cross trucks on their way out to rockaway and into breezy point.

For those viewers that you have on Fox News.

That can contribute to the Red Cross certainly we want to help the relief effort there.

This is going to be and massive cleanup -- probably -- in the billions of dollars by the time we rebuild Iraq -- The boardwalk in many places was blown out literally blown out by the ocean in broad channel almost the entire community was completely submerged.

Thousands of cars totaled.

About it on tens of millions of property damage and the only thing I think we can be thankful for is that there weren't more large.

Look I don't need it what it is.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- So they successfully save the lives of all those people if you're telling us that there has been.

No loss of life say you're right true heroism has taken place in breezy point.

And in broad channel in these areas and we need to be so grateful for the volunteer firefighters that got out there and the people who went out there to help those who.

You know quite honestly -- you know had been asked to evacuate but.

It there's also the earth as you point out and many of them had been those homes our whole lives.

It's just very said it did its total devastation out there and as I mentioned this was an intense storm.

I think people took it for granted too many people stayed.

I think it's a decision that they've come to regret.

But thankfully that happened bit the other hasn't been that many lives lost -- -- and we just thank thankful to the good lord for that also we can replace we will rebuild rockaway.

But we will rebuild a better than ever.

You -- absolutely right about that incredible spirit of New Yorkers it is network and they will rebuild we're grateful to those folks who helped them and save their lives.

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