Deadly Brooklyn fire being investigated as possible arson

DYKER HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Authorities are now investigating a deadly fire that killed two people and injured seven others in Brooklyn Thursday morning as a possible case of arson.

The flames broke out inside an apartment on 11th Avenue in Dyker Heights just after 7 a.m. The second-alarm fire, with heavy and thick black smoke, brought more than 100 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene.

First responders discovered a 58-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman unresponsive on the third floor. They were both pronounced dead on the scene. Officials say another family that included a 4-year-old girl and a 3-month-old boy, were rushed to Maimonides Hospital in stable condition to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Three firefighters were also injured during the blaze, with one of them suffering minor burns.

Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the blaze, but a forensic investigation is underway to determine if an accelerant was used.

The FDNY would not comment on whether the fire has been formally deemed suspicious, and the investigation will determine exactly where it started. Firefighters reportedly encountered heavy volume of fire in the hallway.