A devastating four-alarm fire ripped through the 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx early Saturday morning, claiming one life and injuring more than a dozen others. The blaze erupted just after midnight at 3485 Bivona St., prompting an emergency response from the FDNY.
Within minutes, flames broke out on multiple floors, including the 15th, 16th, and 17th levels, drawing in 74 fire units with over 200 firefighters and personnel to battle the inferno. The explosion that occurred shortly after their arrival was a turning point in the disaster, spreading the blaze across several apartments.
As the situation unfolded, it became clear that the damage was extensive. A total of 15 people were injured, including one who succumbed to their injuries at the scene and another who required critical care at Jacobi Medical Center. Eleven others sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals, while a 14th person refused medical treatment.
One firefighter also suffered a minor injury during the response efforts.
Despite the chaos, firefighters managed to contain the blaze by approximately 4:50 a.m., bringing an end to the destructive inferno.
The city's response to the disaster was swift and empathetic. Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg described the tragedy as "incredible," expressing condolences to the families affected and reassuring them of support from the government.
As part of their relief efforts, officials set up a reception center at Cornerstone Academy, where residents could connect with shelter and services in the aftermath of the disaster. Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged his support for those displaced, saying that "my heart is with everyone affected."
However, questions still linger about the cause of the fire. Leila Bozorg acknowledged that the building had been undergoing renovations, which included repairing units and updating building systems. Despite this, she noted that the gas work was reportedly completed and signed off on.
As the investigation into the blaze continues, officials emphasize the importance of learning more about the events leading up to the disaster.
The fire is a sobering reminder of the risks facing New York City's most vulnerable residents, particularly in high-rise buildings with aging infrastructure. The city's response to this tragedy will undoubtedly be closely watched as it seeks to support those affected and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Within minutes, flames broke out on multiple floors, including the 15th, 16th, and 17th levels, drawing in 74 fire units with over 200 firefighters and personnel to battle the inferno. The explosion that occurred shortly after their arrival was a turning point in the disaster, spreading the blaze across several apartments.
As the situation unfolded, it became clear that the damage was extensive. A total of 15 people were injured, including one who succumbed to their injuries at the scene and another who required critical care at Jacobi Medical Center. Eleven others sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals, while a 14th person refused medical treatment.
One firefighter also suffered a minor injury during the response efforts.
Despite the chaos, firefighters managed to contain the blaze by approximately 4:50 a.m., bringing an end to the destructive inferno.
The city's response to the disaster was swift and empathetic. Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg described the tragedy as "incredible," expressing condolences to the families affected and reassuring them of support from the government.
As part of their relief efforts, officials set up a reception center at Cornerstone Academy, where residents could connect with shelter and services in the aftermath of the disaster. Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged his support for those displaced, saying that "my heart is with everyone affected."
However, questions still linger about the cause of the fire. Leila Bozorg acknowledged that the building had been undergoing renovations, which included repairing units and updating building systems. Despite this, she noted that the gas work was reportedly completed and signed off on.
As the investigation into the blaze continues, officials emphasize the importance of learning more about the events leading up to the disaster.
The fire is a sobering reminder of the risks facing New York City's most vulnerable residents, particularly in high-rise buildings with aging infrastructure. The city's response to this tragedy will undoubtedly be closely watched as it seeks to support those affected and prevent similar incidents in the future.
, can't a city just catch a break for once? 
I mean, what's up with these NYCHA buildings? It's like they're waiting for someone to burn them down 
. 15 people injured, one killed... and it could've been so much worse if those firefighters hadn't arrived when they did 
. But yeah, the real question is, who's gonna fix all this aging infrastructure before more people get hurt? 
It's not like we haven't seen this movie before 
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just saw that news about that 4-alarm fire in NYCHA building in Bronx... my heart goes out to that one person who lost their life 
can't help but think about all those other NYCHA buildings in same condition 
. hope the city does some serious upgrading soon... can't shake off this feeling of dread 
.
. It's always tragic when innocent people get hurt like this. We need to make sure our city has better fire safety measures in place 
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This just happened on Saturday morning... I was shocked to see a 17-story building just go up in flames like that! One person died, more than a dozen got hurt, and some people even had to be taken to the hospital because their injuries were too bad.
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. But what's really worrying is that we still don't know the cause of the fire... was it an electrical issue or something else entirely? 
. we really need to figure out what happened here and make sure something like this never happens again 
. we need more funding for maintenance and repairs, not just to prevent fires but to keep our residents safe and healthy 
. The firefighters did an amazing job containing the blaze, but it's still a major concern about the cause of the fire... were there any safety issues with the renovations they were doing? 
fire happen & lives lost, all they care bout is gettin permits signed off ASAP 
meanwhile families are left with nothin but ashes n grief 
we shoulda seen this coming tho like how many times have we heard about fires in old buildings...anyway my heart goes out to the fams affected & i'm glad the firefighters were able to contain the blaze pretty quickly