A massive five-alarm fire broke out at a six-story apartment building in the East Bronx, injuring at least seven people, including five firefighters. The fire started on the top floor of the Mayfair Apartments on Wallace Avenue near Arnow Avenue around 1:40 a.m. Friday and quickly spread to the cockloft between the ceilings of the top floor apartments and the roof ยน.
The FDNY responded with over 250 firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics, but the heavy wind conditions made it difficult to contain the blaze. In fact, firefighters had to be pulled out of the building due to fears of a structural collapse .
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but FDNY Fire Marshals are investigating. The building has a history of complaints, with 61 filed since 2019, mostly regarding the elevator’s condition .
Residents were evacuated and taken to nearby Public School 76, where they registered with the Red Cross for temporary shelter. The city’s Office of Emergency Management is also providing assistance.
