SHARE

Gap Clothing Warehouse Demolished, Total Damage Estimated At $1M

FISHKILL, N.Y. -- Part of the Gap clothing distribution warehouse destroyed by fire this week was demolished on Wednesday because it was at risk of collapsing, according to state police.

An eight-alarm fire destroyed a GAP clothing distribution center in Fishkill on Monday night. More than 100 warehouse employees evacuated safely, according to state police. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, police said on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: HVNN.com
Firefighters doused smoldering "hot spots" at Gap's clothing distribution warehouse off I-84 in Fishkill on Tuesday. State police said a section of the building had to be demolished on Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters doused smoldering "hot spots" at Gap's clothing distribution warehouse off I-84 in Fishkill on Tuesday. State police said a section of the building had to be demolished on Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The Gap Distribution Warehouse (Building 2) at 100 Merritt Blvd. in Fishkill, off Interstate 84 near Route 9 in Dutchess County. A section of the building at risk of collapsing was demolished on Wednesday, according to state police.

The Gap Distribution Warehouse (Building 2) at 100 Merritt Blvd. in Fishkill, off Interstate 84 near Route 9 in Dutchess County. A section of the building at risk of collapsing was demolished on Wednesday, according to state police.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The fast, engulfing eight-alarm blaze cost an estimated $1 million in damage, officials said.

Meanwhile, state police said they are continuing their investigation into the commercial structure fire that prompted the evacuation of more than 100 workers and injured one firefighter.

"At this point in the investigation, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined," state police from Troop K said in a news statement released late Wednesday.

Production at Gap's complex -- which includes a 990,000-square-foot warehouse called Building 2 -- halted as a result of Monday night's blaze. the fire was contained about four hours after it broke out by firefighters from 20 fire departments in three counties.

The Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) National Response Team, which has federal jurisdiction over fires involving interstate commerce, is on scene and partnering with the Dutchess County Fire Investigation Division, the New York State Office of Fire Prevention & Control and state police to determine the cause of the fire. 

Anyone with information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact state police at their Poughkeepsie barracks by calling 845-677-7300.

Monday's eight-alarm fire broke out on the second floor of the Gap warehouse about 10:45 p.m., authorities said. 

One firefighter sustained minor cuts to his lower leg while battling the blaze, which was contained by hundreds of firefighters from Dutchess, Putnam and Orange counties. 

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and several other county and state officials were at the fire scene at 100 Merritt Blvd. in Fishkill.

The entire site, which employs more than 600 people and as many as 1,800 at peak distribution times, was taken "off line" because of the fire, according to Colleen Pillus, a spokeswoman for Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.

The 108 warehouse employees are still being paid by Gap even though they have nowhere to work at this time.

For a previous Daily Voice report on the blaze, click here.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

to follow Daily Voice Southwest Dutchess and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE