ARTINFO has learned that the gallery PPOW has closed its space at 555 West 25th Street in Chelsea after a fire in the building yesterday evening caused water and smoke damage to the gallery. PPOW will temporarily move to a space on the same block.

PPOW's exhibition space and office are "completely demolished," co-owner Wendy Olsoff told ARTINFO, but the work that was installed at the time of the fire, by Dutch artist Teun Hocks, mostly survived intact.

The cause of the fire, which broke out in the space upstairs from PPOW and is also reported to have caused damage to Von Lintel gallery, has not yet been announced.

The exhibition, scheduled to open tonight, consists of several large photographs embellished with oil paint as well as smaller drawings. Several of the drawings were damaged, but the larger works "survived," said Olsoff, and have been relocated to 511 West 25th Street, Room 301. The show will open with a reception from 6 to 8 tonight as scheduled.

Olsoff said PPOW has received an outpouring of support from the gallery community after the Art Dealers Association of America sent a notice to its members, including offers for exhibition and storage space, transportation, and other assistance.

The artist, whose work deals with "the human condition" has also been "unbelievable," said Olsoff, "calm, compassionate, supportive, and helpful.

"He kind of gets the situation."

All in all, Olsoff said, little artwork was damaged, as most of the gallery's works are stored off-site, and what was kept in the gallery was completely wrapped in plastic and stored off the ground.

PPOW will remain in the temporary space for a month; what happens after that is "a really good question," said Olsoff. "I don't want to go back there."

With additional reporting by Chris Bors.