Holiday Housing Fire Displaces Residents, Injures Firefighters

 

By David Greene

Bronx Voice 

November 27, 2023 

BRONX - Three firefighters and one civilian are recovering after a fast-moving high-rise fire at the New York City Housing Authority’s Mitchel Houses—a fire that displaced an unknown number of residents just three days after Thanksgiving.

Fire officials reported that the blaze broke out inside an 8^th-floor apartment at 11:01 a.m. on Sunday, November 26.

A Citizen's App video showed fire pouring out of two windows before firefighters set up two tower ladders at the window of the 20-story building at 215 Alexander Avenue and East 137 Street, in the Mott Haven section of the borough.

A fire official told the Bronx Voice that 78 FDNY and EMS personnel from 20 units battled the blaze and quickly brought the fire under control in 42 minutes.

The official added that three firefighters and one civilian all suffered minor injuries. The three firefighters were transported to New York Presbyterian Hospital and the civilian was removed to Lincoln Hospital. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

With the holiday season upon us, the FDNY would like to remind shoppers to make sure that all electronic devices are UL certified, meaning the device, batteries and charger have gone through rigorous testing and meet the highest standards of safety.