What to Know
- Twenty-three people suffered non-life threatening injuries after a fire tore through a building in Brooklyn on Wednesday, the FDNY said
- The fire broke out on the sixth floor of a building at the corner of 44th Street and 7th Avenue in Sunset Park; 19 firefighters were hurt
- The building is now "severely damaged," an FDNY official said, noting that the entire roof collapsed onto the top floor
Twenty-three people — including 19 firefighters — suffered non-life threatening injuries after a fire tore through an apartment building in Brooklyn, the FDNY said.
The six-alarm fire broke out on the top floor of a six-story building at the corner of 44th Street and Seventh Avenue in Sunset Park on Wednesday afternoon, according to the department.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found an "advanced" fire burning on the top floor, FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik said at a press conference Wednesday evening.
Wind gusts fanning the flames eventually forced the firefighters to retreat from the top floor, Sudnik said.
Four civilians and 19 firefighters suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to Sudnik. Seven of those firefighters were treated for burn injuries, he said.
The building, which houses 54 apartment units, is now "severely damaged," Sudnik said, noting that the entire roof collapsed onto the top floor.
Footage from the scene showed dark smoke billowing into the air. Firefighters were still working to put the blaze out around 9:30 p.m.
The city's official emergency management system is advising people to avoid the area. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but whipping winds Wednesday helped fuel the blaze.
