Tiffany & Co flagship store runs ablaze just months after launch of $500m renovations
30 June 2023, 01:36 | Updated: 30 June 2023, 01:37
Firefighters tackled a blaze in the basement of the flagship store just two months after its reopening.
The iconic Tiffany & Co. fifth avenue store went up in smoke on Thursday in New York City.
New York Fire Department said the fire broke out on Thursday morning and 80 firefighters responded to the outbreak.
Approximately 100 people were evacuated from the building and two people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.
Videos online showed billowing smoke rise from the historic building, spreading to surround other buildings along the street.
The store, known for its famous appearance in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s was inspected for damages alongside other buildings on fifth avenue, including Trump Tower, officials said.
Tiffany & Co. Later announced later in the day the fire had been been brought under control and the shop would reopen the same day, subject to approval from officials.
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It comes just two months after the high-end jeweller reopened for the first time in three years after a $500 million renovation project, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The store shut its doors to the public in 2019 to start work on the costly renovations and reopened its doors in April this year.
Benard Arnault purchased the upmarket jeweller in 2021 for $15.8 billion, who said he decided to launch renovations after he got lost in the store while visiting.
He said the building’s new design was “more in line with the beauty and the myth which is Tiffany.”
The store is known for its pricey collection of high-end jewels, alongside esteemed paintings by artists such as Julian Schnabel.
The fifth avenue store accounted for 10% of the brand’s worldwide profits before its closure in 2019.
A spokesman for the company said on Thursday: “This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
“The fire has since been put out and we are working with the New York Fire Department to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our employees and clients.
“The store is expected to open later today following inspection by the Fire Marshal.”
