Four-alarm fire ravages Bronx high-rise, claiming one life and leaving dozens injured.
A devastating blaze tore through the upper floors of a 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx early Saturday morning, resulting in at least one fatality and over a dozen injuries. The fire, which broke out just after midnight, began as a reported gas smell and quickly escalated into an explosion that ignited flames across multiple floors.
Firefighters responded to the scene within minutes, but not before the blaze had already spread, forcing 74 units with over 200 firefighters and emergency personnel to battle the inferno. The fire raged through several apartments on the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors, drawing a massive response from the FDNY.
The total death toll stands at one person, who was pronounced dead at the scene, while another was taken in critical condition to Jacobi Medical Center. Over a dozen people suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals, with one firefighter also sustaining an injury that required medical attention.
"It's an incredible tragedy," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, condemning the blaze. "We're sending all our thoughts to the families involved." Roughly 150 apartments in the building were evacuated as a precaution, with the American Red Cross on hand to assist residents affected by the disaster.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his sympathy for those affected, stating that he was present at a reception center set up at nearby Cornerstone Academy to provide shelter and support services. "My heart is with everyone affected, and I'm deeply grateful to our first responders," he wrote on social media.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although Deputy Mayor Bozorg confirmed that the building had been undergoing renovations to repair units and improve building systems for residents. However, she clarified that the gas work had been completed and signed off on.
"It's facade work happening as well, but we'll learn more as we investigate," Bozorg added. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire safety measures in multi-unit buildings.
A devastating blaze tore through the upper floors of a 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx early Saturday morning, resulting in at least one fatality and over a dozen injuries. The fire, which broke out just after midnight, began as a reported gas smell and quickly escalated into an explosion that ignited flames across multiple floors.
Firefighters responded to the scene within minutes, but not before the blaze had already spread, forcing 74 units with over 200 firefighters and emergency personnel to battle the inferno. The fire raged through several apartments on the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors, drawing a massive response from the FDNY.
The total death toll stands at one person, who was pronounced dead at the scene, while another was taken in critical condition to Jacobi Medical Center. Over a dozen people suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals, with one firefighter also sustaining an injury that required medical attention.
"It's an incredible tragedy," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, condemning the blaze. "We're sending all our thoughts to the families involved." Roughly 150 apartments in the building were evacuated as a precaution, with the American Red Cross on hand to assist residents affected by the disaster.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his sympathy for those affected, stating that he was present at a reception center set up at nearby Cornerstone Academy to provide shelter and support services. "My heart is with everyone affected, and I'm deeply grateful to our first responders," he wrote on social media.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although Deputy Mayor Bozorg confirmed that the building had been undergoing renovations to repair units and improve building systems for residents. However, she clarified that the gas work had been completed and signed off on.
"It's facade work happening as well, but we'll learn more as we investigate," Bozorg added. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire safety measures in multi-unit buildings.
just heard about that fire in the Bronx it's like 74 units and over 200 firefighters went into that building like crazy 
one person lost their life and dozens are hurt still trying to process how this happened 
renovations were supposed to be fixing up the place but i guess not enough 
so important to prioritize fire safety measures in those buildings, can't stress it enough 
A devastating blaze has ravaged a 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx, claiming one life and leaving dozens injured... it's absolutely heartbreaking to think about the families who've been left without their loved ones due to this senseless tragedy 
. The fact that 74 units were affected with over 200 firefighters battling the inferno is a stark reminder of the importance of regular maintenance and fire safety measures in multi-unit buildings 
. It's also worrying to note that despite the building having undergone renovations, including gas work being completed and signed off on, the blaze still occurred 
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when it just decides to stop working on me all day 
This is like, super sad, you know? I mean, one life lost and dozens hurt... 74 units involved and over 200 firefighters had to put out the blaze 
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200 firefighters and emergency personnel fought this blaze but some people still got hurt why? 
and those 150 apartments evacuated as a precaution, that's like, whoa so many lives affected 
. I'm pretty sure even the most seasoned firefighter gets a little nervous when they see that many fire trucks in front of their building 
. so many questions still unanswered, when will we know what caused this fire? 
74 units evacuated and over 200 firefighters responding? how do they even keep track of that many people in an emergency? it's like a nightmare come true, i can only imagine the families who lost loved ones or got hurt... i'm still trying to process this, but one thing is for sure - we gotta make sure our buildings are safer, that's the least we can do. 
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. And the fact that they were doing gas work when this happened just makes it even more crazy 
. I hope those affected can get the help and support they need, but honestly, how many times does it take for something like this to happen? 
It's a tragedy, plain and simple 
i mean, how do u even prevent that? renovating the building was supposed to fix problems 
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. And can we please talk about how we're going to prevent this from happening again? Fire safety measures should be a priority in our buildings, no matter what 
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it's crazy how quickly a small gas smell can turn into a huge explosion. we really need to focus on fire safety at our school too, like making sure the alarms are working properly and having regular drills 
i'm all for renovation, but can't we do it safely? 
so concerning... how many times have we seen this happen in the city already?