Eight people were injured following an early morning residential fire in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx, FDNY officials said.
The fire department spokesperson said they received a call at 1.04 a.m. on Monday, July 1, for a report of a fire on the first floor of a 5-story, occupied multiple dwelling located at 2601 Bainbridge Avenue, between East 193rd Street and East 194th Street.
They said 12 Units, comprising 60 fire and EMS personnel responded to the blaze and that eight patients were injured. They said two firefighters were transported to Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park, and six civilian patients were treated at the scene or otherwise refused medical attention.
They said the condition or description of the injured is unknown, and added that the fire was brought under control at 1.58 a.m. “Fire marshals are investigating the cause and origin,” they said.
Norwood News contacted the Red Cross for details of any displaced residents. Frederick Klein, regional communications manager, responded, writing, “After the fire on Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx, the American Red Cross has registered four households (ten adults, three children, one dog) for emergency assistance, including temporary lodging and financial assistance.”
Klein added, “Our caseworkers will also follow up with these residents to connect them with non-profit and/or government resources to help with their long-term recovery. Any residents impacted by this fire who have not already connected with the Red Cross and need help with their recovery should call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767).”
Later on Monday morning, a few men were seen boarding up the windows of the building. One female tenant who declined to give her name or have her photo taken, said that she lived on the 4th floor and did not know there was a fire until she heard banging on her door. When she opened the door there was a lot of smoke, she said, adding that she had to use the fire escape, along with other tenants to get out.
She said others were able to leave through the front entrance. She also said the firefighters broke all the windows even where there was no fire. “Thank God no one was hurt,” she said. As she was speaking to us, the woman kept looking around and whispering as if she didn’t want to be overheard. Someone in the vicinity was heard yelling, “She better not be taking pictures of me.” We could not tell where the yelling was coming from.
It seemed there was also another fire across the street on 194th Street and Bainbridge Avenue but no one was around to ask when it happened. We are following up with the FDNY and will share any updates we receive.
As reported, a fire that broke out inside a popular University Heights deli and spread to an adjacent 99 Cents store on Sunday, June 23, took firefighters more than 90 minutes to extinguish, FDNY officials said. The fire caused a lot of damage to the two businesses, leaving a shell of the one-story structure remaining.
Click here to read our recent story on a fire that broke out on June 26 in Bedford Park in which two firefighters were injured and here, to read a separate story on a Bedford Park fire that broke out on Monday, June 24, at East 204th Street and the Grand Concourse.
Click here to read FDNY’s fire safety tips on the use of lithium-ion batteries. For tips on how to beat the heat, including discounts available from the City of New York for the installation of air conditioning units, click here.