One male person has died following a fatal fire in a residential home in Fordham Manor on Friday afternoon, FDNY officials said. The age or approximate age of the victim was not immediately available.

 

The fire department said they received a call at 2.08 p.m. on Friday, March 1, for reprorts of a fire at 2533 Grand Avenue, a three-story residential home located between West 190^th Street and West 192nd Street.

They said the fire was reported on the 2nd floor, with extension to the 3rd floor. One person was found deceased upon arrival of firefighters at the scene, FDNY officials said and added that one firefighter was treated for minor injuries.

 

Fire department officials said the fire was brought under control at 4.49 p.m. and fire marshals are investigating the cause and origin.

Frederic Klein, regional communications manager for the Red Cross, later said of the incident, “Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family, friends, and neighbors of those impacted by the fire on Grand Avenue in The Bronx.” He said following the fire, the American Red Cross registered 8 households (comprising 14 individuals) for emergency assistance, including temporary lodging and financial assistance.

 

“Red Cross caseworkers will reach out to these residents in [the] coming days to connect them with non-profit and/or government resources to assist with longer-term recovery needs,” Klein said. “Any residents affected by this fire who were not able to connect with the Red Cross on scene and who need help with their recovery should call 877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767).”

Yellow tape blocked off both ends of Grand Avenue, a pretty narrow residential street with cars parked on either side. Police cars were seen at each corner.

 

One male resident told Norwood News at one point smoke from the fire could be smelled all the way down at Kingbridge Road, a block and a half away.

 

Another female resident of the area said she hoped she could get get through the blocked off section soon because she had just picked up her kids from school and wanted to get home. A helicopter was seen circling over the area at one point.

One media outlet reported that the home was “illegally subdivided.” Norwood News is following up with NYC Department of Buildings on this point. Andrew Rudansky, DOB press secretary, responded, saying, DOB was called to the scene to conduct a structural stability inspection of the building following a fire.

 

“Upon our arrival to the scene, our inspectors observed severe fire damage throughout the building, with most of the damage concentrated in the rear of the structure,” Rudansky said. “During their inspection of the building, our inspectors found that the single family home had been illegally converted into a total of seventeen (17) Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units, located on all levels of the building, including both the cellar and the attic.”

 

Rudansky said that as a result of the severe fire damage throughout the Building, DOB issued a Full Vacate Order, and ordered the property owner to board up the building. He confirmed that all residents who had been displaced by the fire were offered emergency relocation assistance by American Red Cross.

“DOB’s investigation is ongoing,” he said. “Additional enforcement actions are pending that investigation.”

 

The NYPD were seen guarding the site of the fire late on Friday night. We reached out to ask if the site was being treated as a potential crime scene and will share any updates we receive.

 

Norwood News spoke to several residents of the street later on Friday but nobody knew the families living in the affected building and had not been home when the fire broke out.

 

As above, the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Earlier this week, New York City Council voted to pass more e-bike safety rules to address the dangers of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.

 

New laws have also been introduced at a federal and State level to address fire safety prevention and the hazards of lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes.

 

Click here for details of a federal recall of 53,000 scooters due to a fire hazard involving the deaths of two children.

As reported, one man died in a three-alarm residential fire on Bainbridge Avenue in Fordham Manor in mid-November last year.

 

A full list of educational materials on lithium-ion batteries can be found online.

At home fire safety tips can be found at www.fdnysmart.org. The Office of the Bronx Borough President recently kicked off a new series of fire safety training sessions around the borough in conjunction with the FDNY.