Overview
- Calls came just after 8:45 p.m. for a blaze at a six-story building on Fort Washington Avenue between West 163rd and 164th streets, and crews arrived in about four minutes.
- Firefighters found heavy fire on the fourth floor extending to the fifth and sixth floors and into the cockloft, and it took several hours to bring the incident under control.
- The response escalated to five alarms with roughly 220 firefighters and EMS personnel operating at the scene, according to fire officials.
- Nine people were injured, including three firefighters with minor injuries and six civilians who were taken to local hospitals.
- Multiple apartments sustained heavy damage, displacing about six families, and FDNY urged nearby residents to avoid smoke, close windows and expect traffic delays while the investigation continues.