91-Year-Old Woman Dead, Several Others Hurt After Fire At Bronx Apartment Buidling
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- One person was killed and at least 10 others were hurt after a fire tore through an apartment building in the Concourse section of the Bronx early Wednesday morning.
Police told CBS2's Natalie Duddridge the person who died was an elderly woman. Another man is in critical condition and several families lost everything inside.
The fire started in apartment 2-0 and traveled quickly to units above and around it.
"The flames went all the way up. Thank God we was able to come out. It destroyed my whole apartment,' resident Ana Rosa said.
After the found their front hallway engulfed, Rosa and her family had to feel their way through the smoke and rush out their back fire escape.
"It was getting like really pitch black and we couldn't see anything. I even had a piece of glass stuck in my back and I didn't even notice because I was rushing to come down," Rosa said. "I'm scared of heights, so it was frightening for me to come down."
"When I try and go out, all the fire come up through the door. It's terrible," resident Gabriel Nava added.
Video shows the flames shooting from the roof. Officials said the fire broke out just before 5 a.m. at the building on Park Avenue near 162nd Street. More than 130 firefighters responded.
"The fire started on the third floor and extended up through an interior void. There was a heavy smoke condition on all floors above the fire. Our units entered off ladders into an apartment and found three unconscious people and removed them," FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Aiello said.
Police said a 91-year-old woman was killed and an 80-year-old man was critically injured.
"The lady has oxygen and then there was another person, he has a lot of health issues," Nava said.
"My condolences. At this point, whoever made it out, I'm glad they made it out safely," resident Danielle Vibudulu said.
At least nine others were hurt. One firefighter suffered minor injuries.
The six-story building, which has dozens of apartments, was fully evacuated. Residents said they don't know when or if they can return.
"We got out, trying to get out as fast as we can. People were yelling in the hall. They were trying to come past us. We were just trying to get out," resident Octavia Thomas said.
"We ran out of the house. We had to stay outside for hours," a child added.
The Red Cross said at least 20 families had already been moved to temporary shelters.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
