A Saturday evening fire tore through a residential high-rise on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, injuring four people and sending heavy smoke billowing between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues. The blaze broke out on the ninth floor of the building and pushed residents out to the sidewalks, where neighbors watched firefighters battle the flames. One person was taken to a hospital, while three others were treated at the scene.
FDNY: 120 personnel responded; blaze controlled in under an hour
According to the New York Post, first responders reached the scene at roughly 5 p.m., with about 120 firefighters and EMS personnel dispatched to knock down the fire. FDNY sources told the outlet that the flames, which started on the ninth floor, were declared under control at about 5:43 p.m. The Post reported that four people were hurt in total, with one transported to a hospital and three treated on site.
Building background
Public property records show that 124 West 79th Street is a pre-war, mid-rise residential building of roughly 15 stories, located a block from Central Park. PropertyShark lists tax and structural details for the property that match the address identified by first responders.
Neighborhood context
Residents on the Upper West Side have seen their share of serious apartment fires in recent months, including a four-alarm blaze at West 107th Street last December. The New York Post noted that officials had not yet announced a cause for Saturday’s fire and that fire marshals were expected to investigate while crews worked to secure the building. This story will be updated as authorities release additional information.
