East Village Fire, New York: Several Injured, Including Firefighters, In 5-Alarm Blaze

Update: 9:05 a.m. EDT — More than a dozen people were injured in the fire that engulfed a six-story building on First Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets in East Village, New York on Wednesday and escalated to a six-alarm blaze.

Among the casualties were 10 firefighters and two civilians, all of whom were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Due to the massive blaze that was categorized as a “very difficult, stubborn fire to fight” by Fire Department of New York Chief of Department James Leonard, two nearby schools — East Side Community High School and P.S. 19 Asher Levy — were closed and five buildings near the area were evacuated, CBS Local reported. The cause of the fire was still unknown.

Original story

Over 200 firefighters battled a five-alarm fire in a six-story building on First Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets in New York’s East Village on Wednesday. The blaze injured nine people since it started.

Seven of the nine casualties of the fire were firemen who were struggling to control the flames raging in the building that housed a storefront as well as apartments inside. One of them sustained serious injuries, according to NBC New York, although the nature of the injuries was not immediately known. Authorities said the fireman was expected to survive. The rest of them sustained minor injuries.

In addition, two civilians also incurred minor injuries from the blaze. Commuters were urged to avoid the area.

The fire was believed to have been started in the first floor of the building where there is a sushi restaurant, at around 2 a.m. EDT, witnesses told local news channel NY1.

Initially, the fire started off as a three-alarm blaze which engulfed the first and second floors of the building. However, it quickly escalated to a fourth-alarm fire, and around 5 a.m. EDT, reached the status of a five-alarm fire.

Thick smoke was seen pouring out of the back of the building. Residents in the area were advised to keep the windows of their homes closed. The cause of the fire has not been determined yet.

Residents in buildings situated on either sides of the fire were evacuated. According to the Red Cross, six families were displaced by the fire.

This is a developing story.