Two elderly people in their 70s were killed, several injured after a major fire broke out overnight in an apartment in Washington Heights neighbourhood in New York’s Manhattan area.
The tragic incident unfolded on West 178th Street as a fire erupted in a sixth-floor apartment, claiming the lives of a 77-year-old woman and a 74-year-old man.
The duo succumbed to injuries despite efforts at Harlem Hospital. Additionally, three others, including a firefighter, sustained injuries during the blaze, which occurred around 1:45 early Tuesday morning.
The scene was marked by intense orange and red flames illuminating the night sky, with smoke billowing as firefighters worked to contain the fire.
The impact extended to multiple neighbors within the building, though it remains uncertain how many have been able to return to their apartments.
Malcolm Moore, FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief, said, ‘People amass things over time, over years and when you get into a fire condition, it feeds the fire. Moving around, knocks things down, moves things around so it makes it a little more difficult to search fire areas. Like I said, we found the first victim in the front room, and the male victim in the back of the apartment’.
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