A deadly apartment fire in the Bronx left one person dead and 12 others injured Wednesday morning as firefighters battled flames that spread through multiple areas of a six-story building in Morris Heights.
The fire was reported around 7:45 a.m. at 1484 Montgomery Ave., near West 174th and West 175th streets. Firefighters found the blaze on the fourth floor, where flames later spread into an adjoining apartment, areas above it and the space between the top-floor ceiling and roof.
The response was upgraded to a two-alarm fire, bringing roughly 140 firefighters and emergency medical personnel to the scene. Crews brought the fire under control shortly before 10 a.m.
One person was found dead inside the building. Among those injured was a 31-year-old man who authorities said jumped from a fourth-floor window while trying to escape the fire. He remained in critical but stable condition, according to the latest reports.
Five firefighters were also among those injured.
The fire forced dozens of residents from their homes. The American Red Cross said it was assisting 67 displaced people from 24 households, including adults and children who needed emergency support.
Residents described a chaotic evacuation as thick smoke filled the hallways. Kathryn Rivera said a neighbor woke her after the fire began, prompting her to get her children out of the apartment. She said one of her pets did not survive.
Another resident, Uneek Valent, said the fire was especially difficult because she had already experienced a previous fire at the same building. Residents told reporters they had raised concerns about conditions inside the property before Wednesday’s blaze.
Those concerns are now drawing additional attention. City housing records show the building has more than 150 open violations, while local officials have called for greater scrutiny of conditions at the property.
Investigators are also examining video recorded inside the building shortly before the fire. Newly surfaced footage reportedly shows a man handling an object with an open flame in a hallway during the early morning hours, several hours before firefighters responded to the blaze.
Authorities have not confirmed that the person shown in the video caused the fire or that the fire was intentionally set. The circumstances surrounding the footage remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Fire officials have also said that open doors and windows may have contributed to the spread of the flames by allowing significant wind into the building.
The FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Prevention issued several summonses totaling $4,000 following the incident. Officials also had a vehicle towed after determining that it was blocking a fire hydrant near the building.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Building inspectors are also examining the property, including whether required fire doors were functioning properly.
The deadly incident comes after another fire at the same building in August, adding to residents’ concerns about safety at the property.
For now, investigators are working to determine exactly how Wednesday’s fire began, while displaced residents continue receiving assistance after the loss of a home and, for one family, the loss of a life.
