An early-morning fire tore through the top floor of a Morris Heights apartment building on Saturday, leaving one person dead and two others injured. Firefighters fought heavy flames at 226 W. Tremont Ave., between Phelan Place and Sedgwick Avenue, before bringing the blaze under control in the early hours. Fire marshals have since opened an origin and cause investigation.
According to News12 Bronx, the 911 call came in at about 1 a.m., and the flames spread to an adjoining apartment, prompting a second alarm at roughly 1:22 a.m. The FDNY said it responded with 46 units and 141 fire and EMS personnel, had the fire under control by 2:08 a.m., and that two people with minor injuries were taken to a local hospital while a third victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
FDNY Response And A Troubling Spring Trend
The Morris Heights fire is the latest in a string of serious apartment blazes the Bronx has seen this spring. A five-alarm inferno in Belmont on April 21 killed two people and left dozens displaced, triggering a major city response and sparking community relief efforts, NBC New York and other local outlets reported.
Investigation Under Way
Fire marshals remained on scene in Morris Heights and are working to determine exactly where and how the blaze started, News12 Bronx reports. The FDNY says its Bureau of Fire Investigation handles these origin and cause examinations and coordinates with state and federal partners on major incidents, according to department information.
What Residents Should Know
After a fire, city inspectors may check for structural damage and issue vacate orders if any apartments are deemed unsafe. The Department of Buildings explains how vacate orders work and directs displaced residents to emergency shelter resources, including the American Red Cross and HPD’s Emergency Housing Services. The city’s Back Home Unit also provides guidance and recovery coordination for households affected by fires and other emergencies.
