By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A fatal apartment fire in New York City’s East Harlem left three people dead and five others critically injured, FDNY officials said.
• The blaze broke out early Thursday in a multi-unit residential building on East 116th Street.
• Fire crews responded to reports of heavy smoke and fire conditions on arrival.
• Multiple residents were rescued and transported to hospitals with serious injuries.
• Fire officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
NEW YORK, NY — Three people died and at least five others were critically injured in a large apartment fire in the East Harlem neighborhood early Thursday, city fire officials said.
The New York City Fire Department responded around 2 a.m. to reports of an apartment fire with heavy smoke and flames at a multi-unit residential building on East 116th Street, according to FDNY spokespersons.
Firefighters conducted interior searches and rescue operations as the blaze spread through multiple units. Crews extricated numerous residents and emergency medical personnel transported several with serious injuries to local hospitals, officials said.
Investigators are working to determine the origin and cause of the fire, and details on the victims’ identities have not yet been released by authorities.
No additional information was immediately available on the status of displaced residents or the timeline for returning to the building. Fire officials said updates would be provided as the investigation continues.