QUEENS, N.Y. — A recently opened Romantic Depot store in Queens, N.Y. was destroyed last week when a five-alarm fire started in a neighboring restaurant.
According to N.Y.’s PIX11 News, the massive fire left at least 12 people injured in addition to destroying a row of businesses. The five-alarm fire broke out at 2:14 a.m. on Dec. 13, and required 200 emergency personnel.
An explosion erupted, which caused a roof to collapse. It was the result of a backdraft scenario, the commanding fire chief on the scene told PIX11 News. “A backdraft occurs when fire and smoke remove all oxygen, and then, suddenly, when oxygen somehow gets reintroduced, there's an explosion,” the report says.
The Romantic Depot opened in October.
Over the weekend, Romantic Depot issued a press release announcing it is offering 50 percent off to all Queens residents in wake of the fire.
“NYC's largest sex shop chain Romantic Depot, may have suffered a huge loss on early Thursday morning,” the company said. “A huge five-alarm fire destroyed its grand opening of its new Sunnyside Queens Boulevard location. The company may have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise but it’s very thankful no one lost their lives. In keeping up with the stores sexual wellness and generosity the store is offering Queens residents 50 percent off on lingerie and adult toys this holiday season until Dec. 31.”
The discount is available at Romantic Depot’s Manhattan, Bronx, Yonkers, Westchester and Rockland County locations, “to help cover some of the travel expenses for the Queens community to help make romantic gift giving more affordable," company spokesperson Erin Johnston said. “Our company motto is to never quit and never give up so we will be back in Queens in a new location in 2019!"
