Open doors fueled Belmont apartment fire that killed 2 people, left dozens homeless: FDNY
BELMONT, Bronx (WABC) -- Fire marshals say several doors left open during a blaze in the Bronx on Tuesday created a tunnel of fire that ultimately cost two women their lives.
Firefighters arrived at the fire at 660 East 187th St. in the Belmont section in less than four minutes, but it was already well-advanced because officials say the door to the fire apartment was left open, the front door of the building was propped open and the exit door to the roof was also open.
They say that it created a "flow path," or wind tunnel of fire, blowing through the apartment building.
The fire ultimately killed two women and injured nearly a dozen others, including five firefighters.
FDNY officials say the victims did not have to die.
"If not for the doors being open, we believe that the fire may have even been contained to that one apartment, and we would have not lost anybody in that fire," FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn said.
The two women were both found in the stairwells, attempting to descend from the upper floors, but the fire was blowing up the stairwell and coming at them.
It only took firefighters three and a half minutes to get there but there were already multiple people trapped, someone hanging out of windows and two dead.
Family members say one of the victims was a 17-year-old girl.
Firefighters said the door to the apartment where they believe the fire started was open and allowed smoke and flames to spread through the hallways and into the stairwells.
"The interior stairs were compromised due to the door of the fire apartment left open," Flynn said. "They were caught in their tracks. They didn't have a chance."
Two fatalities were in the stairwell, firefighters said.
Officials say they could have used the fire escapes to get out. Others were saved and rescued by firefighters using the fire escape.
Fire officials released a PSA highlighting how important it is to shut doors while evacuating a fire.
Community members who witnessed the blaze say it's a message to take to heart.
"It looked like something out of a movie. Like it was just bizarre. Like just people climbing out the windows, trying to escape. If you're going to have a fire spread, at least close the door or something. So don't travel throughout the building or hurt other people. You got two people dead, innocent, young, and it's just sad, it's really sad," a neighbor said.
Fire officials said while two people died and a third was critically injured, the actions of firefighters saved countless lives.
Fire marshals are working to determine what caused the deadly blaze.
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