Burger Mondays, Binghamton Apartments Evacuated Due to Fire

A basement electrical fire resulted in the closing of a downtown Binghamton restaurant and the evacuation of the rest of the four-story building.

Binghamton firefighters were sent to 23 Henry Street shortly after 4:30 p.m. after the lights in the building started to flicker and people smelled smoke.

Employees and a few customers in the Burger Mondays restaurant on the street level left the building, as did a few people were in the apartments above the restaurant.

No injuries were reported. The restaurant announced on social media that it would be closed for the rest of the evening.

Firefighters stood by on the scene awaiting NYSEG crews to shut off electrical power to the building. A section of Henry Street was closed to westbound traffic for a time.

Three people who said they were Binghamtton University students who remained in town after spring semester classes ended had to leave their apartments in the building.

They seemed unperturbed by the evacuation, saying they planned to go for a walk downtown. They wound up staying at a hotel because the power to the building was going to be out for the night.

A NYSEG crew pumped water out of an underground equipment box. It wasn't clear how water made it into the box, causing the electrical malfunction.

Binghamton firefighters were on the scene for about four hours.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.