Families are mourning the loss of two people who died in a fire in an apartment building in the Belmont section of the Bronx on Tuesday.
What You Need To Know
Families are mourning the loss of two people who died in a fire in an apartment building in the Belmont section of the Bronx on Tuesday
According to officials, the fire engulfed the five-story, 27-unit building
While firefighters rescued people in the front and rear of the building on East 187th Street near Cambreleng Avenue, FDNY officials said it’s possible the lives of the two deceased victims could have been saved if some key fire safety rules were followed
Father Carlos Germosen of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, which is across the street from the burned building, says he believes at least one of the deceased victims was a member of his church.
He says many of the more than 70 displaced survivors are also parishioners.
“Plenty of our own families, parishioners of ours, or at least families of parishioners have been affected,” Germosen said.
“Seen people hanging on the fire escapes trying to get down,” Tanisha White, who lives in the neighborhood, said.
According to officials, the fire engulfed the five-story, 27-unit building. While firefighters rescued people in the front and rear of the building on East 187th Street near Cambreleng Avenue, FDNY officials said it’s possible the lives of the two deceased victims could have been saved if some key fire safety rules were followed.
“We cannot stress to you enough, please, when there is a fire, close the door to your apartment, close the doors to the common areas within the building,” First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn said during a press conference about the fire Friday.
“The two victims in this fire [who] lost their lives unfortunately were found in the stairwell. That is due to the open door,” he continued. “That is due to them not having a plan.”
Fire officials say the apartment door where the fire originated was left open, causing smoke to get into the hallway, which in turn contributed to the deaths of the two individuals. The FDNY wants to remind New Yorkers that if there’s a fire in their apartment: leave immediately, close the door behind you and when you’re in a safe area, call 911.
“One means of egress [is] the interior stairs. When the interior stairs are compromised due to someone leaving their apartment door open, they have to then use the fire escape,” Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said.
Roberto Silva, a tenant in the building for about 30 years, said his mother and two brothers used the fire escape.
“They closed the door and then they just went off through the fire escape,” Silva said. “My brother grabbed both the dogs. He tried to grab our cat, but we lost our cat in the process.”
Silva is one of dozens of displaced fire victims turning to the church for supplies while they try to find new housing.
“The response has been overwhelmingly just good,” Germosen said. “We’re running out of space and we don’t have any more [room] for donations.”
Authorities have not released the names of the deceased fire victims. In addition to the two fatalities, the FDNY says several firefighters and civilians were among more than a dozen injuries, including a 19-year-old who suffered critical injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the building is completely vacant, officials said.