A massive fire tore through a Bronx apartment building early Friday, leaving dozens of families displaced and injuring at least seven people, according to the Fire Department. Officials confirmed that there were no fatalities or life-threatening injuries.
The Red Cross responded to the scene to assist residents forced to evacuate. A temporary shelter was established at the Bennington School on Adee Avenue, where the organization provided food and began coordinating temporary hotel accommodations for those affected, said Frederic Klein, a Red Cross spokesman.
By Friday afternoon, 254 individuals from 93 households had registered for aid, including more than 55 families requiring temporary housing. “Not everybody will register with us if they have the ability to recover on their own,” Klein noted.
In the immediate aftermath, displaced residents are being placed in hotels, where caseworkers will assist them in transitioning to the city’s shelter system. The Red Cross is also offering mental health support and helping residents replace essential items such as prescription medications left behind during the evacuation.
The fire, which broke out just before 2 a.m. on the top floor of the six-story building on Wallace Avenue near Arnow Avenue, quickly escalated to a five-alarm blaze by 3 a.m. Approximately 250 firefighters and emergency medical workers were dispatched to battle the inferno.
By mid-morning, firefighters remained at the scene. The top floor of the building showed extensive damage, with shattered windows and jagged shards of glass hanging precariously. Smoke continued to rise from the structure as firefighters worked to douse the smoldering roof.
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