One person has died and another seven are hurt, three of whom have life-threatening injuries, following a raging fire at a high-rise in Manhattan's Alphabet City early Thursday, authorities say.
The fire broke out around 7 a.m. on Avenue D. Firefighters arrived within four minutes and found an "advanced fire condition" on the fourth floor with several people trapped amid heavy flames, FDNY Assistant Chief Michael Ajello said.
Dramatic footage showed intense fire leaping from windows in the area as people, including kids, were seen clinging to pipes outside the building in a bid to get out. An 18-year-old climbed out first, and she could be seen dangling outside. Seconds later, a 13-year-old could be seen doing the same thing.. The teens clutched onto a yellow pip to get away from the flames, video showed.
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Nearly 200 FDNY members responded and the blaze was under control within about an hour, Ajello said. A man in a fourth-floor apartment was killed in the flames, while a 46-year-old woman was rescued was critically injured.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but investigators found a burned e-bike inside the apartment where the fire started.
