The Fire Department is continuing to investigate the fatal fire at a Manhattan high-rise apartment building as authorities released the name of man who was killed. Daniel McClung, 27, a 38th floor resident, died from his injuries while his husband, Michael Cohen, 32, remains critically injured.
The fire broke out in a 20th floor apartment at 500 West 43rd Street, an apartment complex called The Strand, just around 11 a.m. yesterday. The apartment's occupants were not home at the time. Dramatic video of the blaze—with smoke blackening the side of the building—was seen as around 200 firefighters were trying to extinguish the fire:
McClung and Cohen were apparently found in a stairwell, trying to escape the blaze (the Post says they were in the 38th floor hallway). Assistant Fire Chief John Sudnik said, "Unfortunately, in this fire, it appears that the victims may have been originally inside their apartments safe and exited the apartments and become the victims in the stairwells," adding, "We try to give advice to stay in the apartment in these types of buildings. It's very important to stay in your apartment in a fire-proof high-rise building. It's designed to prevent fire extension." Residents who called 911 were told to remain in their apartments, the FDNY told the Daily News.
However, a 25th floor resident walked down the stairs. Maria D'Angelo told the NY Times, "I was thinking of 9/11 the whole time. Fire in a high-rise. I thought of all those people that were upstairs, and did not go downstairs. And so I rushed downstairs."
McClung was an administrative assistant and aspiring playwright; he and Cohen were married last summer. A friend said, "He was a really, really great young writer, and it’s really disappointing to lose somebody here at that young age."
