The 5:30 a.m. fire began inside the victim\u2019s apartment on the top floor of the E. 184th St. building near Bassford Ave. in Belmont, FDNY officials said.<\/p>\n
| BETTER EVERY SHIFT: Gordon Graham shares words of wisdom<\/a><\/p>\n As smoke filled the building and residents escaped, the victim could be heard screaming out his window for help, said neighbor Shaene Brown, who said the victim lived with his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was yelling to me that he needed help and for us to come help him \u2014 but we couldn\u2019t help him, for God\u2019s sake.\u201d said Brown, 33. \u201cHe was crying and he was pleading for help. But we just couldn\u2019t help him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be awhile before I get (his) screaming out of my ear,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Video shows massive flames shooting out of the top windows and rooftop.<\/p>\n The victim\u2019s grieving brother was too distraught to talk to reporters. It was not immediately clear if he wasn\u2019t home when the fire broke out or managed to escape the flames.<\/p>\n He and more than 20 others were left homeless after the massive blaze sparked a roof collapse and destroyed several apartments on the upper floors, city officials said.<\/p>\n Four firefighters suffered minor injuries ranging from sprains to heat exhaustion and were taken to area hospitals.<\/p>\n Mayor Mamdani visited the apartment building Thursday with the Department of Buildings , the Red Cross and the Office of Emergency Management .<\/p>\n \u201cMy heart goes out to all mourning this devastating loss,\u201d Mamdani said on X. \u201cI\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said firefighters arrived within four minutes and were met by \u201cheavy fire on the top floor extending into the cockloft and through the roof.\u201d<\/p>\n The cockloft is the space between the top floor\u2019s ceiling and the roofline.<\/p>\n Firefighters stretched five hoses up the stairs to douse the flames, bringing the fire under control within three hours.<\/p>\n The fire was so intense that the roof collapsed into the top floor, Woods said. The ornate cornice on the top of the building also collapsed.<\/p>\n Brown, who lives on the first floor, was alerted to the fire by a neighbor banging on her door, telling her to get out.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was a big thing until I opened the door, saw the smoke and couldn\u2019t see my hand,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI knew it was serious.\u201d<\/p>\n Witnesses saw the victim, who hasn\u2019t been officially identified, step out onto the fire escape when the fire started but he went back into his apartment for some inexplicable reason, Brown said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what made him go back in,\u201d she said. \u201cMaybe the fire was too hot.\u201d<\/p>\n Before it was snuffed out, the fire reached five alarms, bringing 280 firefighters and EMS members to the scene.<\/p>\n The victim was found dead inside his apartment.<\/p>\n FDNY fire marshals have been tasked with determining what sparked the fire.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Bodycam video shows Allentown firefighters rescuing trapped residents from second-floor windows\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n PFD Assistant Chief Jeff Schripsema shares a powerful story highlighting the department\u2019s commitment to its members\n <\/p>\n March 25, 2026 02:20 PM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The agency is again accepting applications for its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program after a court order, but new rules could make it harder for smaller communities to compete for funding\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Public records reveal the former Loveland fire chief requested an amicable exit, with terms covering severance pay, confidentiality, and a promise not to sue\n <\/p>\n \u00a92026 New York Daily News.![\"FireRescue1](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774520260_166_.jpeg\")
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