In the early hours of Tuesday (June 25th), a 6-story apartment building in Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City, caught fire, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
According to information from ABC TV and the Fire Alarm X platform, a 3-alarm fire broke out around 1:45 AM in a 6-story apartment building on West 178th Street in Manhattan.
A 77-year-old woman and a 74-year-old man were rushed to Harlem Hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, both individuals were pronounced dead by the hospital.
All 42 units of the building were evacuated, with 6 people sustaining injuries, including a firefighter.
Malcolm Moore, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department, informed the media that the fire started at the rooftop and spread to two apartments within 25 minutes, escalating to a 3-alarm fire.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Moore stressed that belongings accumulated over time can fuel fires and hinder evacuation efforts by obstructing escape routes. Firefighters found the first victim in the front room and a male victim in the rear of one of the apartments.
The Department of Buildings issued a vacate order for the building and will conduct a comprehensive inspection followed by reassessment.