By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• FDNY officials say doors left open at a five-alarm apartment fire in the Belmont section of the Bronx helped accelerate the blaze that killed two people and injured others.
• Firefighters and neighbors reported flames and smoke spread rapidly through stairwells and hallways due to the open doors.
• The fire occurred Tuesday in a five-story mixed-use building on East 187th Street, prompting a large emergency response.
• Fire marshals and FDNY investigators continue examining the incident and have not released a confirmed cause.
BELMONT, NY — FDNY officials said open doors at a five-alarm apartment fire helped fuel the rapid spread of flames and smoke that killed two people and injured multiple others in the Bronx earlier this week.
Fire marshals reported that the door of the apartment where the blaze originated, as well as the building’s front entrance, were left open, allowing heat and smoke to travel quickly through a central stairwell and trap residents.
The fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at a five-story residential and commercial building on East 187th Street near Belmont Avenue, where crews arrived to find heavy fire conditions and occupants on fire escapes and in windows.
Dozens of firefighters and supporting EMS personnel battled the blaze, bringing it under control after several hours; at least 11 other people were treated for injuries, officials said.
Investigators have not yet determined what ignited the fire and continue to examine evidence as the department reviews the incident.