Firefighters are investigating the cause of a four-alarm fire at an apartment building in the Parkchester section of the Bronx.
The fire at 1225 White Plains Rd. broke out sometime in the 1 p.m. hour. It apparently started in the area between the top floor and the roof of the building, then quickly spread across four apartments, according to Deputy Fire Chief Raymond Stanton.
"I was in building and then I smell burning," resident Dipak Karmapker recounted to reporters at the scene. "And then my wife say something burning... and then I open door, and I see smoke is coming, and then I call 911."
The building was evacuated as firefighters worked to take down the fire. Karmapker told reporters he was relieved to see his neighbors being assisted by firefighters outside the building. "I say okay, they are fine," he said.
Several firefighters sustained minor injuries battling the blaze, though Stanton said he didn't immediately know exactly how many.
"The firefighters did an excellent job containing the fire to the relatively few apartments as opposed to the whole building," Stanton said.
All residents have been allowed to re-enter the building except for the occupants of the four damaged apartments, who are being assisted by the Red Cross.
The four apartments were heavily damaged, said Stanton. The cause is under investigation.
