Fire Tears Through Apartment Buildings in Brooklyn; 6 Firefighters, 1 Cop Hurt

A fast-moving fire tore through three residential buildings in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn Tuesday night, officials say, injuring at least seven, including six firefighters. 

It's not clear what sparked the blaze on Bergen Street Tuesday night, but the fire jumped quickly from one building to an adjacent one, and then to a third.

Flames could be seen shooting out the windows of the brownstone, and black smoke billowed into the air, visible for blocks.

All three residents inside the single-family building where the fire started were able to safely get themselves out before firefighters arrived, fire officials said. No civilian injuries have been reported.  

However, three firefighters were hurt when the stairway they were going up gave way, according to a fire official on the scene. Another three firefighters were hurt as they battled the blaze. Three of the injured firefighters suffered minor injuries and the other three suffered serious, but non life-threatening injuries. 

One police officer also suffered minor injuries, according to officials. 

The flames were knocked out just before midnight, and firefighters were canvassing the charred, smoldering buildings, focusing their attention on the roof.

Fire officials believe the blaze started on the second floor of the initial building. Fire marshals are on the scene investigating a cause, but the assistant FDNY chief on scene didn't rule out weather and heating devices playing a role. 

Firefighters had to battle the blaze in extremely frigid conditions: the temperature is barely cracking 20 degrees, but the wind chills are making it feel like 11 degrees. 

The FDNY has been faced with a series of ravaging infernos amid the deep freeze in recent days, including one in the Bronx last week that killed 12 people, deemed the deadliest residential fire in New York City in decades.