A 2-alarm Bronx blaze left five people injured—including firefighters and children—and even more displaced Wednesday morning, FDNY said.
Flames could be observed bursting through several four-story windows from 2728 Morris Avenue at around 8:33 a.m. FDNY sources said that the fire raged into the fifth floor, causing some ceilings to completely give way. The FDNY also reported that it took 25 units and 106 firefighters and EMS members to bring the fire under control at 10:10 a.m., yet firefighters continued to battle harsh conditions well into the next hour.
Five people were rushed to St Barnabas Hospital as a result of the blaze, including two firefighters, two children, and one adult, according to the FDNY.
While the cause of the fire is still officially under investigation, several residents told amNewYork Metro that a neighbor admitted that he accidentally started the inferno when he dropped something beneath his bed and used a lighter to try and retrieve it, which caught the mattress to set alight. However, this has not been independently confirmed by the FDNY.
“The guy literally told me and my mom that he dropped something under the bed and he lit up a lighter to look for it. I live right next door,” Amber Delacruz said. “He is always having issues. He is always fighting, there is always commotion in his apartment.”
Delacruz also said that her cat was left in her apartment, and she is concerned about its safety.
“I should have hugged him tighter last night,” Delacruz said. “I heard people screaming open the door and I saw the smoke.”
A senior was also left terrified. Arriving after the blaze was extinguished, she feared that her young grandson had perished in the flames but thankfully FDNY reported that he only suffered minor injuries. She was rushed to the medical center to be with her loved one.
The Red Cross was also on the scene aiding those who had been displaced.
