Fire in New York City Apartment Building Claims 19 Lives, Including 9 Children

At least 19 people have died and dozens have been injured due to a fire in a multi-story apartment building in the Bronx, New York City. According to BBC, among the victims, 9 are children, as reported by Hetq.

This is one of the most severe fires in the city in recent decades. Local media outlets indicated that the fire broke out on Sunday morning at around 11:00 AM. Firefighters arrived on the scene just three minutes after the call was made, attempting to extinguish the fire with more than 200 personnel.

The victims were found on all floors of the building, many likely having died from smoke inhalation. A total of 60 people were injured, with 32 hospitalized. Daniel Nigro, a representative of the fire department, stated during a press briefing that firefighters found the injured near every staircase.

The city’s fire service reported that the cause of the fire in the 19-story building was a malfunctioning electric heater. 'Currently, 19 deaths are confirmed, and many individuals are in critical condition,' New York City Mayor Eric Adams told CNN.

According to Nigro, smoke spread throughout all floors of the building because the door to the apartment where the fire started was left open. As a result, several residents were poisoned by smoke while trying to escape.

Previously, a fire in a building in Philadelphia resulted in 12 deaths, including 8 children. In 2021, a fire in New York claimed the lives of over 70 people.