A five-alarm fire erupted at a Bronx apartment building early Wednesday, spewing black smoke so thick the city warned nearby residents to shut their windows.
Fire officials say the blaze broke out on the sixth floor of the Walton Avenue building around 6:30 a.m. It was under control within about two hours.
The fire began in the cockloft between the top floor and the roof of the six-story apartment building, which contains more than 70 units, many housing the elderly and disabled, according to officials.
Photos posted to social media showed bright orange flames leaping from the structure as smoke billowed into the air.
Residents were grateful that everyone woke up and got out of the building early in the morning unhurt. Still, many will be displaced.
"We have all been out here since 6:30 this morning. There is water damage to the whole building," said Edward Santana Jr. "They are not allowing anybody back in. So it looks like it's going to be an all-day effort to try and get back in. They are moving a lot of people into shelters for now because they don't want everybody to sit out here."
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said "it will be a number of families homeless tonight, unfortunately," but the building was saved and some people on the lower floors will be able to return home.
There were two minor injuries and five apartments were damaged by the blaze.
It's not the first time the FDNY has been to the building: according to Department of Buildings records, there are still five active complaints there. In 2016 alone, callers made nine complaints about broken elevators.
