A towering fire tore through a high-rise apartment building on Riverdale Avenue in Yonkers on Tuesday morning, sending residents scrambling into the street and shutting down a key stretch of the neighborhood. Firefighters attacked the flames from outside, raising ladder trucks while neighbors watched from a block away.
Five-Alarm Response at 50 Riverdale
The first call came in around 9:15 a.m., and conditions escalated fast into a five-alarm blaze that drew more than 80 firefighters and mutual-aid crews to 50 Riverdale Ave. Teams deployed multiple aerial ladders and large-diameter hose lines as they worked to get the fire under control, according to News 12.
Balconies Appear to Have Fed the Flames
Officials and reporters at the scene said the fire appears to have started on or near a sixth-floor balcony, then raced up the exterior balconies, letting flames jump to higher floors and making it harder for crews to get inside. That vertical path left several balconies charred and allowed smoke to penetrate a number of apartments, as reported by ABC7 New York.
Roads Closed, Police Urge Drivers to Steer Clear
Yonkers police shared photos from the scene that showed heavy fire damage across multiple floors and urged people to stay away while the operation continued. Riverdale Avenue was shut down between Prospect Street and Vark Street, and Prospect Street was closed from South Broadway to Riverdale Avenue, according to Daily Voice.
Injury and Displacement Update
One firefighter was injured while battling the blaze, and roughly 18 to 20 residents were displaced. Officials estimated that about 15 to 20 apartments took damage. Investigators remained on-site and said the cause of the fire had not yet been determined, according to News 12.
Another Tough Month for Yonkers Housing
This Riverdale Avenue fire adds to a string of recent multi-family blazes in Yonkers that have stretched shelter resources and city responders. For background on an earlier incident, see coverage of the Yonkers Avenue inferno by Hoodline.
What Residents Should Know
Officials said a shelter was opened for displaced residents and that building safety checks will be completed before anyone is allowed back into damaged units. The investigation into the cause is ongoing, and authorities asked anyone with information or photos from the scene to contact Yonkers police. Further updates are expected throughout the day, according to ABC7 New York.
