48-year-old dies after multi-alarm Bronx apartment fire that injured 5
ALLERTON, The Bronx (WABC) -- A 48-year-old man has died after a massive apartment fire in the Bronx Friday morning. Four other people were injured in the blaze.
The man has been identified by officials as Marquez Ortiz-Lester, a resident of the apartment building.
Officials say flames broke out around 6:25 a.m. at the apartment on Holland Avenue.
The fire started on the sixth floor and burned through the top of the building.
The fire grew to three alarms, drawing over 130 firefighters to the six-story building.
"We had a multi-pronged approach to this, we stretched multiple hand lines by the engine companies, we also had truck companies do searches cutting the roof to ventilate the building," FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief John Sarrocco said.
It was during those searches that five victims were found on the sixth floor.
Ortiz-Lester was pulled unconscious and unresponsive from the fire, suffering from smoke inhalation and burns, and taken to Jacobi Medical Hospital in very critical condition.
One other person is in serious condition, and the three other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Other residents battled thick smoke to make it out on their own.
"I live alone, and I didn't really know what to do, so I walked down five flights of stairs," building resident Lillian Herring said.
Building resident Jonathan Phillips was able to alert his family and save his cats.
"You didn't think it was going to spread that fast, and I got scared once I saw the flames," he said.
No firefighters were injured.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
