A fast-moving basement fire tore through a three-story home in Wakefield just before 6:15 p.m. Thursday, injuring three people, including a firefighter, and triggering a major FDNY response. Neighbors and bystanders recorded bright orange flames pouring from the rear of the building as crews worked to knock down the blaze. All three injured individuals were taken to hospitals, authorities said.
According to News 12 New York, the fire started in the basement of the three-story building at 4137 Baychester Ave. The incident drew 79 fire and EMS personnel to the scene. EMS took one resident and the injured firefighter to nearby hospitals, though their conditions were not immediately released, the outlet reported. News 12 also highlighted Citizen app video showing flames shooting from the back of the building and noted the station had reached out to the Red Cross about possible assistance for affected residents.
FDNY Response And Bronx Fire Trend
The sizable response, with dozens of units and crews converging on Baychester Avenue, comes during a tense stretch for firefighters in the Bronx this spring. As outlined by the FDNY, department officials recently held a public briefing after a deadly five-alarm blaze in the borough, underscoring the dangers firefighters face when flames race through older residential buildings.
How To Stay Safe
City fire-safety guidance urges New Yorkers to prepare before an emergency hits. Residents are advised to make and practice an escape plan, keep smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in good working order and close doors when leaving a burning apartment or house to slow the spread of fire.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development's "Keeping Homes Fire Safe" effort offers downloadable tips and information on programs that can help residents install alarms and prepare for emergencies. For more details, see Keeping Homes Fire Safe.
Officials have not yet released a cause for the Wakefield basement blaze, and it remains unclear whether any households were displaced. According to News 12 New York, crews stayed on scene as the outlet awaited word from the Red Cross about potential assistance for residents.
