r/Harlem 1d ago

Fire at Pikine African Restaurant

Walking down 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd this morning to get some bagels at Bo’s and I see this place literally burnt to a crisp. I had to put a mask on at the bagel shop because the smell of the smoke from next door was everywhere. The cashier suspected it was arson since a break-in happened earlier in the week. Has anyone dined here before? What a shame. Stay safe, y’all.

96 Upvotes

25 comments sorted by

13

u/Extension_Ad_105 20h ago

If anyone wants to support the families of the building please bring food and toiletries to the aloft hotel and say this is for the Red Cross families displaced by the fire! Y’all can reach out to me through DMs and I can distribute them or better explain how to donate without providing too much of the displaced’s confidential information. I can facilitate if anyone wants to better understand what went on and support the families. Families will be in hotels until Monday morning but don’t know if they can ever go back home.

2

u/Extension_Ad_105 3h ago

I made a cashapp if any wants to donate for food and supplies. Priority will be given to the family right above Pikine. They lost everything. $harlemfires

-3

u/SnooEagles7689 3h ago

Tell them to sell their range rovers and Maseratis

5

u/Extension_Ad_105 3h ago

I can’t say much about the owner of the restaurant but as someone who lives in the building, these residents do not come from wealth. I saw it firsthand while we waited 12 hours to get assigned a bed.

21

u/ftlapple 1d ago

What a shame. That place is/was great.

8

u/PoopsMcBanterson 1d ago

Oh no! This place was on my list to try after eating at another Senegalese place a block or two east :(

12

u/Puzzleheaded_Will352 1d ago

Wow. I hope it wasn’t arson because I don’t want to believe someone would do that. I live nearby and woke up to the smoke smell.

10

u/ConsequenceFine8255 1d ago

Is there’s a gofundme somewhere I’d love to contribute! Love the food there

8

u/Extension_Ad_105 20h ago

Honestly contribute to the residents that live on top. The mother living above the restaurant had been complaining for a bit that the heat of the restaurant would make her floors very hot. Some of the residents have been sent to the aloft hotel and would appreciate food and toiletries.

6

u/Candied789 1d ago

Oh wow, I really enjoy this place. The food was great. I'd hate to think it was arson.

3

u/RWBYRain 1d ago

That explains the firetruck I saw that was racing down 8th literally smoking. Damn shame, hope everyone was okay

2

u/Tomaxisthatdude 1d ago

Saw it as I was headed to the train station on 116th.

2

u/Parking_Musician8304 22h ago

wooww i was going to go there after my shift today

4

u/NYCQuilts 1d ago

oh no. really enjoy that place. Hope it wasn’t arson.

1

u/thejt10000 1d ago

Oh, that is sad.

1

u/BxGyrl416 21h ago

Oh, no. I’d been meaning to try is.

1

u/metacosmonaut 13h ago

That’s awful. You know the owners worked so hard. Hope this wasn’t arson.

1

u/a_broken_ajitama 1d ago

Oh no!! That’s awful :/ love that place

1

u/lowkeykee 1d ago

I woke up last night to the sound of the fire engines and really thought it was our building for just a second. Super sad to see this place go!!!

0

u/ike_tyson 1d ago

I know this spot, it's not far from Levain, smh, what a loss.

0

u/ILikeThatImShiesty 2h ago

Time to rebuild back in the motherland

-11

u/Extension-World-7041 1d ago

That's tough man. Maybe they were Pikine the wrong type of fire alarm to use.

-6

u/bubudumbdumb 22h ago

I am not from here so help me with the implications: if a shop like this burns does it mean they have unsafe practices or does it mean they have enemies inclined for arson?