Three people died and five others were critically hurt in a fire that tore through a building in Inwood early Monday morning, the FDNY said.

The blaze broke out on the first floor of a six-story building on Dyckman Street, between Broadway and Vermilyea Avenue, around 12:30 a.m., according to the department.  

What You Need To Know

Three people died and five others were critically hurt in a fire that tore through a building in Inwood early Monday morning, the FDNY said

The blaze broke out on the first floor of a six-story building on Dyckman Street, between Broadway and Vermilyea Avenue, around 12:30 a.m., according to the department

The cause of the fire is still under investigation

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said several people were trying to flee the building via fire escapes when firefighters arrived.

The fire quickly moved up the stairs inside the building, FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito added.

“There’s one single stairway in this building, and fire was consuming it from the first floor through the bulkhead on the roof,” Esposito said. “We eventually had fire in eight apartments on multiple floors throughout the building. It was an extremely dangerous and difficult firefighting operation.”

Three people died in the fire, and five others were hospitalized in critical condition, the FDNY said. Police didn’t immediately release the names or ages of those who died.

Six other people, including one firefighter, suffered minor injuries, the department said.

By 3 a.m., firefighters had brought the blaze under control. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The American Red Cross said it registered 15 households, totaling 30 people, for emergency assistance.

The city Department of Buildings said it has issued a full vacate order for the building.

Bonsignore on Monday issued a reminder urging New Yorkers to close their doors behind them while fleeing a fire.

“The one thing I can say that is critical and super important for us to all remember, especially in a time of crisis, is to close the door and leave the door closed,” she said. “In this building, six-story building, the apartments that had the doors closed had very little impact — no fire. The apartments that had doors open had more impact, more fire.”