Yesterday, a fire broke out on the 5th floor of a 27-story apartment building in the Bronx—and now the FDNY says a child may have started it.
The fire started at 07:40 a.m. in the E. 149th Street building in the Bronx’s Melrose section, and it quickly spread. Over 130 firefighters fought the blaze. FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Jack Mooney said, “When we opened the door to put the fire out, it just fills the building up — the hallways, the stairs – up with smoke.”
Some 12 residents had to be carried down; 48 people, including firefighters, were injured, with five critically injured. The Red Cross was on the scene, working with residents to get back into their apartments and provided food and cleanup kits to those who needed them.
It is suspected a child playing with a cigarette lighter started the fire.
There have been no arrests made and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the NYPD‘s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1–800–577–TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1–888–57–PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers‘ website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
All tips will be kept strictly confidential.
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