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Key Takeaways
Over 280 firefighters responded to a Bronx fire, which caused the roof to collapse into the top floor
More than 50 residents were displaced, with some reporting injuries and long-standing safety concerns about the building
A resident recalled hearing the victim’s heartbreaking screams for help before the fire claimed their life
One person is dead, and four firefighters are injured after a fire ravaged a five-story apartment building in New York City. Now, dozens more have been displaced.
On Thursday, March 26, at 5:30 a.m. local time, first responders were dispatched to 505 East 184th Street in the Bronx to fight the blaze, Kevin Woods, the chief of operations for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), said in a press conference. When fire crews arrived four minutes later, they began battling “heavy fire” in the cockloft, or the space between the top floor ceiling and below the roofline, Woods said.
The location was difficult to access, making it harder to fight the fire. To quell the flames, firefighters used hand lines and streams from tower ladders outside the building.
While most residents were able to escape the fire, one person died in the apartment where the blaze started, according to the fire official. Four firefighters suffered minor injuries, including heat exhaustion and minor sprains.
The apartment building experienced “heavy damage,” and the roof collapsed into the top floor, officials said. In total, more than 280 firefighters and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel responded to the scene.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a trip to the scene and shared his “deep sense of gratitude” to the first responders who saved lives, The New York Times reported.
“Many people are losing much of what they know as their home, and that is an incredibly difficult experience to go through,” he told reporters, according to the paper. “And so we are standing here to make sure that the city is ready and able to assist these New Yorkers.”
The FDNY told PEOPLE that the cause still under investigation and their organization does not provide identification for victims.
Resident Shanae Brown told the paper that she escaped after a neighbor came to her door to alert her at 4 a.m. The woman managed to flee with her husband and their dog. Brown also banged on doors to notify neighbors of the crisis, according to the report.
The fire caused the roof to collapse in the five-story apartment building.
Credit: FDNY/X
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When she was outside, Brown heard screaming from where the fire originated, she told the paper. The resident believes it was the victim who died.
“He recognized my voice, which was very heartbreaking,” Brown told the Times. “He said, straight up: ‘Nae, I cannot move. I’m stuck. I’m trapped.”
Later, the man’s screams stopped.
More than 50 residents were forced to leave their belongings behind, ABC affiliate WABC reported. As Terrell Dixon and Marissa Brown escaped with their two children and pets, Marissa and their 1-year-old child were burned by hot tar.
According to the report, people who lived in the building have complained about various safety issues over the years, and in 2021, a violation was issued for decaying spots on the roof, according to WABC.
“I’m pissed, somebody’s got to be held responsible,” Marissa told the outlet.
Read the original article on People