NEW YORK – A terrible disaster consumed the top floor of a Manhattan building overnight, forcing people to evacuate and leaving dozens of tenants without access to their homes.
The fire in a six-story building West 141st Street in Hamilton Heights eventually triggered a 5-alarm response, leading about 200 firefighters and EMS personnel to the blaze, the FDNY said.
Emergency services first arrived at the building at around 1:30am on Saturday and found the fire on the top floor.
The building and its 42 units remained inaccessible to all residents long after firefighters took control and put out the flames. The American Red Cross estimated that at least 109 were temporarily displaced by the fire. The organization set up emergency assistance at nearby PS 192 for anyone in need of food or shelter.
FDNY officials said at least nine people were injured in the blaze, seven of whom were firefighters.
Investigators were able to rule out that the fire was accidental, caused by electrical wires in the top floor ceiling, the FDNY said.
