More than 100 firefighters respond to blaze burning through roof of Bronx apartment building
CROTONA PARK, Bronx (WABC) -- A fireball on the roof of a Bronx apartment building sent more than 100 firefighters into full defense mode early Monday morning.
Heavy flames were seen coming from the sixth floor of 1700 Crotona Park just before 3 a.m.
Residents were jolted out of their sleep as firefighters tried to figure out where the smoke was coming from.
Yenifer Vasquez lives on the third floor.
"We saw it more in the kitchen and so we thought it was our oven, but it wasn't our oven and they put a hole in the roof of our ceiling just to see if there was smoke coming out...there was," Vasquez said.
The fire was contained to the two top floor apartments in the back corner of the building.
Fire officials say it traveled through a small void space called a cockloft, which is a gap above the ceiling in the building.
"The fire was primarily in that area so it required the members to pull the ceilings, there were two ceilings, it was heavy plaster and wire, so it required a lot of work. That's why we needed the extra companies to get those ceilings down and extinguish it," FDNY Battalion Chief Christopher Coppola said.
Residents said it's not the first time either.
"It happened I think two years ago on Christmas on the same side too," Vasquez said.
Officials say two firefighters were taken to the hospital for minor injuries, but Coppola said it could have been much worse.
"They did an excellent job because a lot of times, when the fire gets in that area in the building the side of this, when it goes it's very bad, it takes the whole building," Coppola said.
The battalion chief said there is smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and the Red Cross is assisting residents.
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