Manhattan Mini Storage, which operates 17 self-storage facilities throughout New York City, is offering free, temporary storage for residents displaced by the March 26 explosion and fire that destroyed three buildings in the East Village neighborhood in Manhattan, N.Y. Affected residents are eligible to receive up to three months of complimentary storage while they recover from the incident and secure new housing, company officials said in a press release.
Dozens of apartments were destroyed in the blaze, leaving many homeless. The incident, which may have been triggered by gas leaking from an inappropriately tapped line at 121 2nd Ave., injured 19, including four critical injuries, according to news reports. Three of the four people initially listed in critical condition have been released from the hospital, with the remaining patient upgraded to good condition, according to “The New York Times.”
The bodies of two people reported missing after the incident last week were recovered on Sunday. Nicholas Figueroa, 23, was on a date at the sushi restaurant on the first floor of 121 Second Ave. when the explosion occurred. Authorities have not released the identity of the second victim, but it is believed to be Moises Ismael Locón Yac, 27, a busboy at the restaurant, the “Times” reported.
The explosion is under investigation.
“All New Yorkers feel for those impacted by this tragedy, and it hits us close to home because our 2nd Avenue location is just a few blocks away, so these people are our neighbors,” said Stacy Stuart, executive vice president at Edison Properties, the parent company of Manhattan Mini. “We want to do anything we can to help them during this crisis.”
Anyone displaced by the explosion who is in need of temporary self-storage is encouraged to contact Manhattan Mini at 212.786.7243 and choose Option 1. The company’s East Village facility is at 28 2nd Ave.
Founded in 1978, Manhattan Mini Storage is part of the Edison Properties network of businesses. Edison also operates Edison ParkFast, a network of 40 garages and lots throughout Baltimore, New York City and Northeast New Jersey. Its other properties include workspace offices, executive offices and pre-built suites, The Hippodrome office building, and The Ludlow, a luxury residential high-rise on the Lower East Side.
