Fort Greene Fire: Putnam's Pub Begins Road To Recovery

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — The day after a two-alarm fire inside Fort Greene's Putnam Pub & Cooker left the neighborhood bar and restaurant empty and boarded, with cascading ceilings and exposed electric wires inside, a city agency said it has stepped in to help the local business on the long road to recovery.

Putnam's is a beloved neighborhood establishment for weekly trivia, private events and casual drinks and dining.

The city's Small Business Services' Emergency Response Unit is working with the FDNY to obtain a report about Putnam's fire as quickly as possible to help the bar's owner, Jerry Rooney, file an insurance claim, a spokesperson for the agency told Patch. The agency has also offered to help Rooney with obtaining copies of any licenses and permits that may have been damaged in the fire, the spokesperson said.

"Small business owners invest their lives and their livelihoods into running a business, and an emergency situation can be a very scary and disorienting experience," said Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. "Our team has been on the ground assisting Putnam’s Pub & Cooker since the fire occurred, and we want all small business owners to know that the City of New York is here to help small business owners recover and rebuild when disaster strikes."

Patch has left a voicemail with Rooney and will update when we hear back. Putnam's is not answering their phone and has not released a statement about the fire.

Residents of Fort Greene and surrounding neighborhoods were disappointed to hear that their local haunt was damaged.

"Putnam's has become a staple and go-to spot for just about anything," said Robert Bruno, who's lived in Fort Greene for almost a decade. "Putnam's is that all around gem that every local brags about. I wish them a swift recovery!"

The cause of the fire, which resulted in no injuries, was still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon, an FDNY spokesperson told Patch.

Videos of the incident around 11 a.m. on Tuesday showed heavy smoke billowing out of the first-floor bar and restaurant, and firemen and trucks surrounding the corner of Myrtle and Clinton avenues.

Photo by Sarah Kaufman/Patch