A Highbridge family was forced out of their home and at least one person was injured Monday afternoon after a fire tore through a sixth-floor apartment at 1425 University Ave. Thick black smoke billowed from the unit's windows shortly before 12:50 p.m. as FDNY crews rushed to the scene and neighbors crowded the sidewalk, watching the drama unfold from below.
Before firefighters arrived, neighbors and a nearby tenant, 20-year-old Jose De Jesus, said they sprinted into the apartment with a fire extinguisher and dragged a burning carpet out of the living room. According to witnesses, the apartment's father, Francisco, told them his daughter had accidentally set the carpet on fire and that when he turned on the faucet "no water came out." FDNY units searched the apartment, knocked down the flames and reported at least one injury. The family got out and was receiving help from the Red Cross, as reported by News 12 Bronx.
Building Profile and Damage
The blaze broke out on the sixth floor of 1425 University Ave, a six-story, multi-unit elevator building that property records list as having roughly 55 residential units and a 1926 construction date. The family’s apartment was heavily damaged by both fire and water and is not currently livable while repairs and structural impacts are assessed, according to records on PropertyShark.
Neighbors Hail Quick Thinking, Question Water Access
De Jesus credited fast action for preventing an even worse outcome and said the incident shows how neighbors often become first responders long before the sirens arrive. "We always have got to help each other," he said. He and other residents also raised concerns about water access in the middle of the emergency. The family continued receiving Red Cross assistance Monday evening, according to News 12 Bronx.
The FDNY and the American Red Cross operate city programs aimed at preventing and reducing the impact of home fires, including free smoke-alarm installations and community outreach through the FDNY’s Get Alarmed campaign. For background on those initiatives, see the FDNY’s Get Alarmed information page, which details free installation options and safety resources available to residents on FDNY.
