A blaze that tore through an apartment building in the Bronx left 12 people dead, including a 1-year-old child, in New York City’s deadliest fire in over 25 years. According to The New York Times, four people were critically injured by the fire while two more faced non-life threatening injuries. Mayor Bill de Blasio did add that at least 12 were rescued safely from the fire, commending the FDNY’s speedy response.
Because of FDNY’s quick response, at least 12 people were rescued –@NYCMayor de Blasio
— FDNY (@FDNY) December 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/BuffingActions/status/946544332068347914
The fire is the deadliest in the city since the Happy Land social club arson that killed 87 people in 1990 according to the New York Times, surpassing the total from a deadly apartment fire in 2007 that killed ten, with nine of the victims being children. There is no word on how the Bronx blaze started on Thursday, but the first calls began in the early evening at the “century-old apartment building” as the fire spread from the first floor:
The first emergency call came at 6:51 p.m. for a fire in a five-story apartment building at 2363 Prospect Avenue in the Belmont section, a spokesman for the New York City Fire Department said, and the department responded in three minutes. Within an hour, the fire had reached four-alarm status, and more than 160 firefighters were on site.
By the time Mr. de Blasio spoke around 10 p.m., the flames had been brought under control.
Based on current information, we are sorry to report at least 12 New Yorkers are dead, including one child as young as 1 year old. Four people are critically injured, fighting for their lives.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 29, 2017
Thanks to the @FDNY’s quick response, at least 12 people were rescued and will survive. The fire has been put out completely.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 29, 2017
The five-story building was built in 1916 near the Bronx Zoo and featured 20 units. According to the LA Times, the building featured no elevator but did have fire escapes visible on the side of the building. Residents and witnesses told the media that the smoke quickly became unbearable and many residents could be heard crying for help as the flames spread.
Tonight in the Bronx we've seen the worst fire tragedy in at least a quarter of a century. It is an unspeakable tragedy, and families have been torn apart. pic.twitter.com/0kCFMzxt79
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 29, 2017
The mayor added that others injured in the fire aren’t out of the woods and added, “we may lose others as well.”
(Via CBS News / New York Times / Los Angeles Times)