Fire engulfs Bronx high-rise building, claiming one life and injuring over a dozen others.
A devastating four-alarm fire ripped through the upper floors of a 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx early Saturday morning. The blaze broke out just after midnight at 3485 Bivona St., where a reported gas smell prompted a response from firefighters. Within minutes, an explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that engulfed multiple apartments on the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors.
The fire drew 74 units with over 200 firefighters and emergency personnel to the scene, with flames spreading rapidly through several apartments. Seventeen people were injured in the blaze, with one person pronounced dead at the scene and another taken to Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition.
Eleven others suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals, while a 14th victim refused medical treatment. A single firefighter sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was also taken to Jacobi.
The fire was eventually brought under control by approximately 4:50 am, according to the FDNY. As news of the disaster spread, officials confirmed that roughly 150 apartments in the building had been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg stating that the building had been undergoing renovations to fix units and systems for residents. However, she noted that the gas work had supposedly been completed and signed off on.
As authorities continue to investigate the blaze, officials opened a reception center at nearby Cornerstone Academy to connect displaced residents with shelter and services. Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his condolences to those affected by the fire, stating that he was at the center with families as officials worked to support displaced residents.
A devastating four-alarm fire ripped through the upper floors of a 17-story NYCHA apartment building in the Bronx early Saturday morning. The blaze broke out just after midnight at 3485 Bivona St., where a reported gas smell prompted a response from firefighters. Within minutes, an explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that engulfed multiple apartments on the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors.
The fire drew 74 units with over 200 firefighters and emergency personnel to the scene, with flames spreading rapidly through several apartments. Seventeen people were injured in the blaze, with one person pronounced dead at the scene and another taken to Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition.
Eleven others suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals, while a 14th victim refused medical treatment. A single firefighter sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was also taken to Jacobi.
The fire was eventually brought under control by approximately 4:50 am, according to the FDNY. As news of the disaster spread, officials confirmed that roughly 150 apartments in the building had been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg stating that the building had been undergoing renovations to fix units and systems for residents. However, she noted that the gas work had supposedly been completed and signed off on.
As authorities continue to investigate the blaze, officials opened a reception center at nearby Cornerstone Academy to connect displaced residents with shelter and services. Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his condolences to those affected by the fire, stating that he was at the center with families as officials worked to support displaced residents.
and injures so many others... it just goes to show how unpredictable these things can be, no matter how much "planning" or "renovation" goes into something. I'm not gonna say what happened here, cause i dont think we know all the facts yet but its clear that there's some serious issues with NYCHA and how they manage their buildings 
like what even happened here?? one life lost already? 17 people hurt 
and so many apartments destroyed... it's just heartbreaking to think about all those families who got evicted from their homes 
anyone know how they gonna get back into the building after this 
One life lost is just crazy, can't imagine being in those apartments when the gas went off and boom! 
Fire department did their best but like 150 apartments already evacuated because of renovation work? How many times do we need to tell these city officials: safety first?! 
a gas smell is always red flag, you know? and renovation work is not excuse for not fixing things properly. 150 apartments evacuated, can you imagine living like that? no heat, no hot water... anyway, fire was brought under control but 1 life lost, that's all what matters 
this is insane what's goin on w/ NYCHA buildings?! 
like how did dis happen? Renovations or not, dat's still no excuse for a fire that kills someone 
.
Anyway, gotta give it to the FDNY and emergency services for doing their job and keeping everyone safe. But seriously, when will this stop happening? 
i mean, renovations are one thing, but safety should always be the top priority, you know? 
the fact that there was a gas smell before the fire started is crazy... like what were they doing in the building if not fixing it?!? 
anyway, my hope is that everyone will get through this and come out stronger on the other side 
this is so scary... what's the point of renovation if it's just gonna lead to a fire like this? 
How are we gonna prevent this kind of thing from happening again? 
just heard about this devastating fire in the Bronx 
and who knows how many more units will be lost due to the damage 
. FDNY did a great job responding quickly, but I hope they can find out what caused this fire ASAP 
. Safety measures in place for NYCHA buildings should've prevented something like this from happening 
not sure how many lives are going to be affected by this tragedy but for now, my heart goes out to the families of those who lost loved ones 
. as for the displaced residents, I hope they get the support they need and find a new place to call home soon 