A gas explosion in a Bronx high-rise NYCHA building at 3485 Bivona Street early yesterday caused a four-alarm fire, resulting in one death and multiple injuries. The fire began shortly after midnight and quickly spread through the upper floors, according to New York Post.
Fire officials reported that 74 units and 231 firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the scene. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore noted that the cold weather made firefighting efforts more difficult. The fire was contained approximately four and a half hours after it started.
At least 150 apartments were evacuated. The American Red Cross and city officials opened a reception center at Cornerstone Academy to assist displaced residents with shelter and services.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, and New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol were present at the scene. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, including recently completed gas work that had reportedly been signed off, according to Bozorg’s statements obtained by Gothamist.
