Deadly Bronx Blaze: Multiple Fatalities, Dozens Injured in High-Rise Fire
A devastating five-alarm fire tore through a 19-story apartment block on East 181st Street in the Bronx on Sunday, leaving multiple fatalities and at least 63 injured. The york/">New York Fire Department dispatched roughly 200 firefighters to battle the inferno, which broke out just before 11am and was contained around 1pm.
‘Numerous Fatalities’ Expected as Fire Department Battles Horror Blaze
FDNY Commissioner Dan Nigro warned of a grim toll, saying he anticipates “numerous fatalities,” although no deaths have been officially confirmed yet. “The last time we had a loss of life that may be this horrific was over 30 years ago, also here in the Bronx,” Nigro stated, referencing a tragic fire from the past.
At least 63 victims suffered injuries, mainly from smoke inhalation. Thirty-two were in life-threatening condition, while nine were listed as serious. The cause of the blaze remains unknown and is under investigation by the fire marshal’s office.
Mayor Eric Adams Visits Scene, Calls It ‘One of the Worst Fires’ in Recent Memory
Newly sworn-in Mayor Eric Adams was on the scene Sunday afternoon to receive updates. “This is going to be one of the worst fires we have witnessed here in modern times in the city of New York,” Adams declared. He added the tragedy will bring “pain and despair” to the entire city.
Terrified Residents Recall Frantic Escape from Burning Building
Residents shared chilling accounts of their narrow escapes. One survivor, Dejesus, who lives on the third floor, described making breakfast when smoke and screams filled the air. “We just hovered in the back room… next thing we knew, flames were bursting out the back windows,” she said.
“We were smelling the smoke and then the whole upstairs and my apartment turned black. The fire department broke down the door to get us. We had to climb out the window,” Dejesus recalled. “It was so scary, but thankfully my family, including my 3-year-old child, got out safe.”
The Bronx fire is now being treated as one of the city’s worst residential blazes in decades, as officials continue their grim work amid the tragedy.
