Dozens of New Yorkers are in temporary housing after a fire tore through their Bronx apartment building Wednesday, killing one man and injuring a dozen other people. It remains to be seen when, or if, they’ll be able to return home to search through the building’s remains.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who visited the scene Wednesday and met with displaced residents Thursday morning, said neighbors were mourning the 40-year-old man who died and praying for the woman who lived in the apartment where the fire began.
“They all know her well, so they're just worried about her survival because she was burned very seriously, and that's hard in terms of recovery,” Gibson said.
Authorities said the fire at 374 East 209th St. in Norwood began with a loud explosion that blew doors off their hinges and sent debris into the street. Within a little more than an hour, it reached five-alarm status. At one point, a floor in the building collapsed. More than 300 firefighters and emergency service personnel responded to the scene.
In all, 12 people were injured. Two of them faced life-threatening injuries and three others faced serious injuries. The total also includes six firefighters, three of whom suffered serious injuries.
The smell of smoke still lingered in the air on Thursday, and a heavy FDNY presence remained on site. Several stories of the building's exterior were heavily charred, with broken windows on all sides.
The American Red Cross has registered 18 households for temporary lodging — 45 people, including seven children. The Department of Buildings has not yet cleared the building as structurally sound, and no residents have been allowed back in, Gibson said.
Despite the tragedy, Gibson said residents have told her they’re thankful to be alive.
“One guy said to me, ‘You know, Ms. Gibson, I'm so thankful that I escaped with my life. You know, none of that stuff matters. It's just personal items, things that can always be replaced, but at least I'm alive,’” Gibson said.
The fire's cause is still under investigation, and fire marshals have not yet been able to fully enter the building, Gibson said. She noted that tenants had reported smelling gas earlier in the day, but 311, building and housing records showed no previous documented issues or complaints regarding gas at the address.
Gibson added that many tenants have lived there for decades.
Displaced residents face an uncertain road. After Red Cross hotel accommodations are exhausted, the city’s housing department will work to find more permanent solutions for residents while they wait for the building to be repaired. That could take years, Gibson said.
