In the early morning of July 3, a fire started in front of Bushwick Food Cooperative (BFC). The heat of the flames shattered the windows, destroyed the storefront, and set off the sprinkler system, which caused water damage throughout the entire store. The cause of the fire is still unknown. While the fire department’s investigation continues, the co-op seeks out monetary support from the community in an effort to reopen as soon as possible. 

Fran Sanhueza, BFC’s general manager, received a message from a neighbor about the fire. Since it was said that the fire happened in front of the store, she wasn’t too concerned. Sanhueza asked one of her colleagues, Laurel Garnett, to go in a bit earlier to check it out. Garnett called her and said, “it’s a disaster.” 

The night before, Sanhueza had left the community store while it was preparing for their Fourth of July sale. Now, she set foot in a dark, wet, smokey place. Standing in ankle-deep water, she noticed the bare ceiling beams—firemen had ripped off the tin plates to keep the fire from spreading. The sprinkler system had also destroyed their electronics, broken glass was in every corner.