NEW YORK — At least one man was killed and dozens of families displaced by a fire that engulfed a sprawling apartment building in Yonkers, Westchester County, overnight, authorities said.
The flames broke out in a 6-story apartment building in Bronx River Road around 1:00 am on Wednesday. The fire had intensified to four alarms in one hour and had taken over the roof. The building has 95 units, Property Shark says.
Up to 15 firefighters were injured in the blaze, according to the Yonkers Fire Marshal. One of them was taken to a hospital after being hit in the face by debris when the roof collapsed. Five or six other civilians were also said to have been injured, although details about the specific nature of their injuries were not immediately available.
It was also not known how many apartments were destroyed. Investigators say the building is not fire resistant and believe the fire started on the first floor and then quickly engulfed the entire structure from the bottom up. Heavy flames erupted from the sixth floor, where most of the rescues are said to have taken place.
Firefighters initially had to take a defensive approach due to harsh fire conditions and wind, which made it difficult to fight the flames on the elevated side of the building, authorities said. They also had to work on a parking platform, which could not accommodate engines.
Firefighters doggedly battled the flames through the night and after dawn, finding hot spots each time they advanced.
Between 200 and 300 people were displaced, authorities said, and it took more than six hours to get the fire under control. Residents were told to go to the community center north of the site, where the Red Cross is helping.
People in pajamas were seen on the fire escapes, yelling for help. Some were rescued from balconies and windows. Nearly a dozen people were rescued in all, and three other cities brought more than 100 people to help.
Bronx River Road in between Midland Avenue y Mile Square it will be closed in the near future, police said. Other street closures in the immediate vicinity. Travelers are advised to avoid the area.
The investigation is ongoing.