Harlem witnessed a significant four-alarm fire yesterday evening at a vacant apartment building that left four FDNY firefighters with minor injuries. The blaze started at around 9:15 p.m. at 108 West 138th Street, and more than 180 firefighters were deployed to contain the furious flames, as reported by AMNY.

FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods commented on the challenges faced, stating, "Our units moved in very aggressively with multiple handlines to extinguish the fire. Due to the structural stability of this building, as it was vacant for many years, and the amount of fire, we had to pull our members out of the building and go to an exterior fire attack," in a statement captured by ABC7NY.

The empty structure, having been neglected for an extended period, posed increased risks for the firefighters who faced not only the intense blaze but also inclement weather, including rain, sleet, and snow. Despite the arduous conditions and broken fire hydrants on the nearby street the FDNY personnel managed to bring the fire under control by 11:35 p.m. yesterday. Firefighters executed strategic ventilation of the building by cutting numerous holes into the roof to release the smoke, as AMNY detailed.

Adjacent to the inferno, two occupied residences were under threat, causing alarm among the neighborhood; nevertheless, the rapid response and intensive efforts of the fire department personnel prevented the fire from causing further harm. The injured firefighters received treatment for their injuries, which were reported by WABC-TV to be minor, according to AMNY.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are currently ongoing, with FDNY Marshals looking into the circumstances that gave rise to the incident.