A significant fire erupted in a six-story apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side early Tuesday morning. The blaze, which began around 8:20 a.m. at the intersection of 107th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, rapidly escalated into a four-alarm fire shortly after 9 a.m.
Details of the Incident
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) reported that the building, which has 21 units, is not fireproof. Each floor consists of approximately four apartments. Fortunately, there were no major injuries reported, although two residents were rescued from their apartments on the third and fourth floors and received medical treatment. A firefighter also sustained a burn injury but is expected to recover.
Firefighters’ Response
Video footage from Chopper 4 captured astonishing images of the top floor engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing from the rooftop. The fire damaged the roof and caused it to cave in, destroying several apartments and structurally compromising the building.
- The roof collapse added to the devastation, impacting the fourth floor, which was completely destroyed.
- Heavy damage was also reported on the floors below.
- A parapet wall on the left side fell onto the street, narrowly missing a fire engine.
Ongoing Investigation
The area surrounding the building has been designated as a collapse zone, with fire officials monitoring the situation throughout the day. As of now, there has been no determination of the cause of the fire.
Safety Advisory
Residents in the vicinity were advised to avoid the area. Those in nearby buildings were urged to close their windows to mitigate smoke inhalation risks.
