Bushwick club Rash is asking for help after being set on fire with patrons inside
The recently opened queer club has launched a GoFundMe page to support its out-of-work staff after apparent arson incident
A Bushwick bar and hub for the LGBTQ+ community is asking for donations following a destructive fire that forced it to temporarily shutter after just five months of operation.
Rash, a nightclub on Willoughby Avenue, posted on Instagram that on late Sunday someone “poured gasoline on the floor causing an explosion that set the bar in flames.” People were reportedly inside the club enjoying themselves at the time of the incident; two people were rushed to the hospital and are said to be in stable condition.
“We still don’t know what to make of this cruel act of violence,” Rash wrote. “In only five short months we were privileged to become home to such a talented and vital community of artists. It breaks our hearts that anyone would seek to threaten that for any reason.”
The suspected arsonist was wearing a dark hoodie with a backpack and bolted from the scene. NBC New York reports that police are reviewing surveillance tape from a nearby gas station that shows someone filling up a gas canister a few minutes before the fire.
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“At this time we haven’t identified the suspect or any motives but we’re working closely with the authorities to investigate,” Rash wrote.
In the meantime, a GoFundMe has been launched with the goal of raising $200,000 to support its staff and repairs. As of early Thursday morning, more than $58,0o0 has been raised.
Community members are banding together in a show of support. Brooklyn Brewery has donated $5,000 according to the GoFundMe page. “It is sickening to see this violence and hatred in our own neighborhood. Being in a public space as your authentic self should not mean putting your life at risk,” Brooklyn Brewery representatives wrote.
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