Fire marshals said an electrical accident sparked a deadly fire in Upper Manhattan early on Sunday morning that killed two women in their apartment.
Law enforcement sources said the fire started at about 12:19 a.m. on the 24th floor of 260 Audubon Ave., above the Trans Manhattan Expressway, in Washington Heights.
Upon extinguishing the blaze, firefighters fund the two victims inside the apartment — ages 37 and 73 — both of whom had suffered smoke inhalation, police reported.
Paramedics rushed the 37-year-old woman to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 73-year-old victim also died of her injuries at Harlem Hospital. No other injuries were reported, police said.
Their bodies were brought to the Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Along with declaring the fire to be electrical in nature, the Fire Department reported that the residence had a smoke alarm, but it was not operational.
Working smoke/CO alarms save lives by quickly giving you and your loved ones an early warning signal that something is wrong. Be #FDNYSmart – have a working smoke/CO alarm on every level of your home, including basements and where you sleep. Learn more at https://t.co/NpwdRdlElY pic.twitter.com/jIY6kGMjYu
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 22, 2020
