Over 100 firefighters were called to a blaze that erupted on the sixth floor of an apartment building in the Bronx earlier today. According to ABC7NY, the flames were observed coming through the rooftop of 1700 Crotona Park at approximately 3 a.m., prompting residents to wake as fire officials responded and worked to determine the source amid the smoke and conditions at the scene.
One resident, Yenifer Vasquez, who resides on the third floor, described the incident to ABC7NY, "We saw it more in the kitchen and so we thought it was our oven, but it wasn't our oven and they put a hole in the roof of our ceiling just to see if there was smoke coming out...there was." The fire, limited to two upper-floor apartments, spread through a concealed area known as the cockloft—a narrow void space that can allow flames to move undetected through a building, according to Battalion Chief Christopher Coppola.
In a statement provided to ABC7NY, Coppola described the effort required to bring the fire under control: "The fire was primarily in that area so it required the members to pull the ceilings, there were two ceilings, it was heavy plaster and wire, so it required a lot of work. That's why we needed the extra companies to get those ceilings down and extinguish it." He also noted that without the firefighters’ timely response, the outcome could have been more severe, as the situation had the potential to spread throughout the building.
The inferno resulted in minor injuries to two firefighters, who were treated at a hospital. Battalion Chief Coppola commented on the extent of the damage, stating, "They did an excellent job because a lot of times, when the fire gets in that area in the building the side of this, when it goes it's very bad, it takes the whole building." This was not the first fire at the location. Resident Yenifer Vasquez recalled a previous incident, saying, "It happened I think two years ago on Christmas on the same side too," in a statement obtained by ABC7NY. As residents manage the effects of smoke and water damage, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Red Cross is currently providing assistance to those affected.
Complementing the on-the-ground reporting, CBS News carried aerial perspectives from Chopper 2. Their coverage confirmed that there were no immediate reports of civilian injuries in the Crotona Park East fire. However, resident displacements may occur as the damage assessment progresses.
