A five-alarm fire that tore through a Bronx apartment building early Thursday left one person dead and four firefighters with minor injuries, the FDNY said.
The fire was reported around 5:30 a.m. at a five-story apartment on East 184th Street, between Bassford and Bathgate avenues, in the Belmont section of the borough, the department said.
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A five-alarm fire in a Bronx apartment building left one person dead, the FDNY said
Four firefighters suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries, according to the department
The fire caused heavy damage, including a roof collapse into the top floor
More than 280 FDNY and EMS personnel responded and the cause remains under investigation
Firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy fire on the top floor that extended through the roof, according to FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods.
Woods said getting the fire under control was difficult, as flames in the cockloft space, an area above the top-floor ceiling and below the roofline, were difficult to access.
“We moved in with multiple hand lines — five hand lines — to the top floor, edge of the roof area and also used exterior streams from our tower ladders,” Woods said.
The blaze escalated quickly, reaching a fifth alarm just before 7:30 a.m. More than 280 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the scene, according to Woods.
Woods said one person was found dead in the apartment where the fire started.
“We found a fire victim in the original fire apartment,” he said. “All other occupants of the building are not injured.”
Four firefighters suffered minor injuries, including heat exhaustion and minor sprains, and were taken to area hospitals, Woods added.
The building sustained significant damage, including a partial roof collapse into the top floor, according to the FDNY.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the scene of the fire late Thursday morning.
“My heart goes out to all mourning this devastating loss,” he wrote on social media. “I’m grateful to the first responders who arrived quickly on scene to save lives and treat New Yorkers. I wish the four firefighters injured a quick recovery and thank them for their bravery.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire crews are expected to remain on scene throughout the day.