NEW YORK — A raging fire tore through a Bronx apartment building Saturday morning, injuring nine people who were rushed to the hospital, including a pregnant woman — and forcing at least one person to jump from a window, FDNY officials and witnesses said.
The fire quickly spread through the Grand Ave. building near W. 184th St. in University Heights after someone in apartment where the fire started left the door open — the same scenario that ended in 17 deaths during a devastating Bronx fire Jan. 9, fire officials said.
The blaze erupted inside a third floor apartment of the six-story building about 6:15 a.m. Firefighters arrived within a few minutes and knocked down doors to get people out, tenants said.
“I woke up to black smoke in the whole apartment and then the firemen came and broke the door down,” fourth floor tenant Albert Rodriguez told the Daily News. “The smoke was coming through the door and I knew it was bad. I right away went to get dressed because it’s cold out and that’s when the firemen came.”
“Right as I finished getting dressed, that’s when he grabbed me and took me out,” he said. “We had fires here before, but nothing like this. After what happened in the Bronx last month, you know with the people who died of the smoke inhalation? I thought that was going to happen.”
The blaze quickly extended to the fourth and fifth floors, FDNY Deputy Chief David Simms said at the scene.
“In these types of building the fire can extend up voids and pipe chases to the floors above and into the cockloft,” the chief said.
The fire spread after those living in the unit where the fire broke out fled without closing the door, Simms said.
“The door was left open at this fire and our units were able to overcome that,” Simms said, adding that the frigid temperatures had left a nearby fire hydrant frozen.
Firefighters rescued a pregnant woman and two children from a fourth floor apartment. Another tenant escaped the flames by jumping out a window before firefighters arrived, witnesses who called 911 reported.
Nine tenants and a firefighter were rushed to St. Barnabas and Jacobi hospitals with minor to serious injuries. Everyone was expected to recover.
The fire was brought under control by 7:30 a.m., an FDNY spokesman said.
A few hours later, tenants were back in the building assessing all the damage.
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