Fire-Related Deaths In New York Rose 52% In 2017, FDNY Says

A total of 73 people were killed in fire incidents in New York City (NYC) in 2017, which marked a 52 percent increase in comparison to 2016, as stated by New York City Fire Department (FDNY) officials, Thursday.

According to a report by the New York Daily News, FDNY officials said that approximately a third of the deaths happened due to three serious incidents which included the fire at Prospect Avenue in Bronx which resulted in the deaths of 12 people including four children.

A fire on 208th Street in Jamaica, Queens, on April. 23 which led to the deaths of five people and a fire in Midwood, Brooklyn, on Dec. 18 resulting in the death of a mother and three children were the other two major incidents, according to fire department officials.

2016, however, with 48 deaths, was the year which had a record low number of fire related deaths according to the 152-year-old fire department. In 2015, the number was 59, the report stated.

Fire Commissioner Dan Nigro said in a statement, Thursday: "While we have worked very hard in recent years to educate millions of New Yorkers about fire safety, several recent tragedies demonstrate our work is far from over and we must do all we can to reach everyone with vital, life-saving knowledge about how to prevent fires and what to do if you’re in a fire situation."

"We mourn the loss of every life lost due to fire, and we commit to doing even more to make 2018 a safer year for everyone in our city," added Nigro.

The FDNY taught three quarter of a million people about fire safety regulations in 2017, according to fire officials. However, the fire department did witness an 8 percent drop in the rate of serious fires, stated the officials.

At the end of 2017, FDNY officials responded to 2123 incidents of serious fire outbreaks as compared to 2313 in 2016.

According to the officials, the fire department also lessened their medical response time from 6 minutes 51 seconds in 2016 to 6 minutes and 44 seconds. The overall response time to a fire outbreak also came down from 5 minutes 56 seconds to 5 minutes 52 seconds.

In relation to the Bronx fire, Nigro described how the incident happened. He stated the fire was sparked by a child who was playing with a stove and his panicked mother rushed out with the child leaving the door open which allowed the fire to spread.

According to reports, the Bronx fire which engulfed a whole apartment building was described by New York mayor Bill de Blasio as "the worst fire tragedy" the city experienced "in at least a quarter-century."

Nigro stated: "The fire started on the first floor and quickly spread upstairs. People died on various floors, they range in ages from 1 to over 50."

"This tragedy is, without question, historic in its magnitude. Our hearts go out to every family who lost a loved one here and everyone fighting for their lives," he added.

De Blasio stated that due to FDNY’s quick response to the situation, around 12 people were rescued. According to official records, FDNY requested a structural stability inspection of the building to be done by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).

According to property records, the building was situated near East 187th Street, close to Fordham University and the Bronx Zoo, was built in 1916 and had more than 20 units.

Augrented, a data application for renters, posted on their official Twitter page that the building had multiple violations related to missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in 2017.