By Thomas Tracy
New York Daily News
NEW YORK 鈥� One person has died and more than a dozen others, including a firefighter, were hospitalized after a massive fire, prompted by a gas explosion, tore through the top of a Bronx high-rise early Saturday, officials said.
The four-alarm fire broke out on Bivona Street near Reeds Mill Lane in the Baychester neighborhood of the Bronx just before 12:15 a.m.
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The New York City Fire Department was investigating a smell of gas on the 15th and 16th floors of the building, which is part of , when 鈥渁n explosion occurred,鈥� said FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito.
鈥淲e had severe structural damage in six apartments on each floor. We eventually had fire in five apartments on the 16th floor and five apartments on the 17th floor,鈥� Esposito said. 鈥淚t was a very, very dangerous operation for our firefighters, who performed incredibly on those upper floors, searching and protecting civilian life.鈥�
Photos and video taken at the scene showed heavy flames shooting out of bay windows on the upper floors.
One tenant died on the scene as firefighters doused the flames. A second tenant was rushed to with critical injuries.
The name of the person who died was not released as investigators track down their family.
Eleven other tenants and a firefighter were also taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, the FDNY said. Another injured tenant refused medical attention.
Early radio reports stated the top of the building had been 鈥渂lown off鈥� and that people were trapped in their burning apartments.
More than 230 firefighters and EMS personnel raced to the scene to put out the massive blaze and care for the injured. The fire was brought under control just before 5 a.m.
Multiple city agencies and the Red Cross were on the scene to care for civilians , Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
鈥淚 am with families at a nearby reception center, and we are working with the Red Cross to support displaced residents,鈥� Mamdani wrote on X. 鈥淭he fire is under control, but searches, inspections and utility restoration are ongoing.鈥�
鈥淢y heart is with everyone affected, and I鈥檓 deeply grateful to our first responders,鈥� the mayor said.
By 6:30 a.m., the had cared for 56 households displaced from the fire. A total of 175 people, including 57 children, were asking for emergency assistance at a reception area on Reeds Mill Lane.
are trying to determine what sparked the explosion and fire, Esposito said.
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