Man killed in Bx. fire; 3 kin, including baby son, hurt
A raging kitchen fire killed a 45-year-old man inside his Bronx high-rise apartment, with the victim’s 11-month-old son and two other relatives escaping with their lives, police and FDNY officials said Tuesday.
The man was killed when a kitchen fire tore through his Bronx apartment, also injuring three relatives, including the victim’s 11-month-old son.
The blaze broke out inside a 24th-floor apartment in the 26-story building on Ogden Ave. near W. 167th St. in Highbridge at about 10:15 p.m. Monday, an FDNY spokesman said.
“I was in my bed when it happened,” said Francine Bennett, 65, who lives directly below the apartment that caught fire. “When I came to the living room I could see [the flames coming down].”
On Tuesday morning, Bennett’s home was drenched in water from the damaged upstairs apartment. “Yeah, but I’m alive,” she said.
One resident who lived above the fire floor was alerted to the blaze by his 11-month-old Boston Terrier, Coco.
“He started barking, smelling on the floor,” the neighbor, who would only identify himself as Serge, told the Daily News. “The alarm started to sound. About five minutes later I see smoke at my window. We really didn’t know where the fire was yet.”
Another upstairs neighbor saw the high flames reach his balcony, Serge said. “The flames were billowing up. He was very worried,” he said. “The whole floor was black with smoke. The lights were on, but you couldn’t even see.”
FDNY Deputy Chief Christopher Ritchie said that the heat from the fire was so intense it blew out the apartment’s balcony windows.
“Units got up there and were met with heavy fire right at the apartment door,” Ritchie said. “We had two occupants that had gotten out of the apartment prior to our arrival. Units did locate one male in the rear of the apartment.”
Medics rushed the man to Lincoln Hospital, but he could not be saved.
The FDNY said one other victim was taken to the same hospital in serious condition and that two more were taken to Harlem Hospital, one in serious condition, one in stable condition. Police said the survivors are a woman, 46, and two boys, ages 15 years and 11 months.
Many residents were told to stay in their apartments as the FDNY fought the blaze. It took more than 100 firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control.
FDNY fire marshals are working to determine what sparked the blaze, which gutted the apartment.
“It’s a sad thing, they’re gonna lose everything,” said Leroy Joseph, a neighbor of the victim’s family.
The tenants of the apartment had lived in the building for years, neighbors said. The victim who died was the boyfriend of the tenant’s daughter and was the father of the two children who survived the blaze. “He was a very nice man, very friendly, always said hello,” Serge said. “I am so sad. I’m kind of shook up. It’s a very good building.”