On October 17 , 1966 , the street was the location of New York 's deadliest fire until the September 11 attacks , in terms of firefighters killed . The " 23rd Street Fire " , as it came to be called , began in a cellar at 7 East 22nd Street and soon spread to the basement of 6 East 23rd Street , a five-story commercial building that housed a drugstore at street level . Twelve firefighters were killed ; two chiefs , two lieutenants , and six firefighters plunged into the flaming cellar , while two more firefighters were killed by the blast of flame and heat on the first floor . The site is now the location of Madison Green , a 31-story apartment building
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
23rd Street (Manhattan)