(TheProudRepublic.com) – In a devastating incident, a fire broke out in a three-story residential building in Brooklyn, resulting in three deaths and injuring over a dozen people, as reported by FDNY officials.
See the video below.
The incident occurred in the Crown Heights neighborhood on Albany Avenue, where fire crews arrived around 5 a.m. to find the building fully engulfed in flames. FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito described the situation, noting that all three floors of the residence were consumed by “heavy fire.”
Once firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control and ensure all patients were either transported to the hospital or treated at the scene, the injury toll stood at 17 individuals. Esposito characterized the firefighting efforts as a “very difficult, dangerous fire operation,” which necessitated the summoning of additional firefighting personnel and resources, leading to a 3-alarm response.
In the process of clearing the building, firefighters discovered three adults who had sustained critical injuries during the fire. These individuals were quickly transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care. Sadly, NYPD officials later confirmed the deaths of the three victims: Albertha West, aged 81; Michael West, aged 58; and Jamiyl West, aged 33.
Esposito explained that at least six of the injured individuals were inside the building when the fire occurred. The remaining injuries were sustained by residents of adjoining buildings affected by the fire.
Esposito highlighted the dangers firefighters face in such scenarios: “It’s a very dangerous operation for our firefighters. While we are trying to extinguish the fire, they’re doing searches on the floor with the heavy fire and above that.”
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
🚨#BREAKING: Massive Apartment Fire Claims Multiple Lives and Leaves Over a Dozen + Injured
⁰📌#Brooklyn | #Newyork ⁰
Firefighters officials have confirmed that three people were killed, and over 17 others were injured after a fast-moving fire engulfed a three-story apartment… pic.twitter.com/9KVpkMosGa— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) November 12, 2023
