On Wednesday morning around 6:16 AM, a fire broke out in an apartment building located in Bath Beach, Brooklyn. Two children and one adult were seriously injured, while at least 16 others sustained minor injuries.
The fire occurred at a seven-story apartment building at 65 Bay 19th Street, right next to the bustling commercial street of 86th Street where many Chinese businesses are located.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) reported that the fire originated on the second floor of the apartment building and was raging when firefighters arrived at the scene. Due to residents of the unit where the fire started not closing their door while evacuating, thick smoke spread into the hallway and rose upwards, causing several residents to become trapped in the stairwell, unable to evacuate safely.
Assistant Chief of Operations in Brooklyn for the FDNY, Joseph Duggan, stated that because the door of the apartment where the fire started remained open, it intensified the smoke and heat, making it difficult for firefighters to locate the exact room on fire on the second floor. Therefore, they had to set up hoses from outside the building and enter through windows to extinguish the fire. Duggan emphasized the importance of keeping doors closed in such situations to aid in rescue and evacuation efforts.
The three severely injured individuals were rushed to Maimonides Medical Center and Coney Island Hospital for treatment. Additionally, 6 firefighters and 7 civilians sustained minor injuries, mainly from smoke inhalation or minor burns, and received medical attention either at the scene or at nearby hospitals. No Chinese individuals were among the injured.
A total of 106 firefighters and 25 emergency medical personnel were involved in the firefighting operation, and the fire department announced around 7:59 AM that the fire had been brought under control.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by the FDNY’s Fire Marshals. Fire officials are urging the public that in case of a fire, it is essential to close doors before evacuating safely to reduce the risk of smoke and fire spreading outward.
—
Translated and rewritten news report without attribution at the end.