A massive apartment fire in Yonkers early Wednesday leaves one person dead and more than 40 people injured. Among those injured are 35 firefighters and six residents of the apartment complex.
Overnight, fire engulfed the seven-story, 95-unit apartment building on Bronx River Road. The four-alarm fire ignited at approximately 1:15 a.m., starting on the main floor and quickly spreading to nearby units.
According to Yonkers Firefighters 628 deputy chief Joseph Citrone, flames were shooting through the windows of an apartment on the first floor as firefighters arrived on the scene. As residents tried to escape the blaze, they were rescued by members of local and regional fire departments.
“There were a lot of rescues last night and a lot of people hanging out of windows we had to grab,” Yonkers Firefighters 628 Union President George Rocha said.
The rapid spread of the fire caused a mass evacuation, with apartments being overwhelmed by flames and smoke. Several rescues were made by firefighters, including a man trying to escape from his fourth-floor window. Other residents escaped via the fire escapes.
Awakened by Alarms
Anthony Konkowski, a resident of the apartment with a unit on the first floor, recalls the moment he and his wife were awakened by the fire alarm and their neighbors.
“I heard a lot of commotion,” he said. “People banging at the door, so me and my wife exited the building. The whole apartment was blazing.”
1 Fatality, Scores Injured
One man died of injuries sustained in the fire. After he was discovered in his apartment, firefighters removed him from the building and attempted CPR. They were unable to revive him.
Multiple injuries have been reported, including 35 firefighters and 6 residents who are being treated at nearby hospitals. Rocha noted that one firefighter sustained a major injury when a metal piece of hose line struck his face. He remains in hospital as of Wednesday.
Other injuries of firefighters and residents involved in the blaze include smoke inhalation, dehydration, exhaustion, and sprains.
As Rocha stated, gaining entry into the building was a challenge.
“The building is high and set back so to try and attack it from the road … was a bit difficult,” Rocha said.
A Regional Effort
The sheer size of the blaze required additional support from regional fire stations. According to Citrone, more than 100 firefighters from Yonkers and neighboring departments were called in for support.
Fire crews remain on the scene Wednesday morning to extinguish any remaining hotspots. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
90 Residents Without Homes
The blaze caused extensive damage to the apartment, including a collapsed roof on the building’s sixth floor. Multiple apartments were damaged by the fire and the building also has severe water damage.
Rocha estimates that the fire has displaced 90 of the building’s residents.
Yonkers Red Cross was on the scene Wednesday morning to assist those displaced by the fire.
