2 dead, 13 injured in 5-alarm building fire in Belmont section of the Bronx

Two people were killed in a fire in the Belmont section of the Bronx Tuesday afternoon, the FDNY said.

Fire and heavy smoke were reported on multiple floors of the five-story building at 660 E. 187th St., between Belmont and Cambreleng avenues in the Belmont section.

In addition to the fatalities, 13 others were injured, including five firefighters, fire officials said. Two residents suffered serious injuries, officials said.

Pets feared lost, too

Chopper 2 was over the scene as 270 fire and EMS personnel battled the blaze, which started at around 1:30 p.m. and grew to five alarms by 4:30 p.m.

Firefighters were seen spraying water into every window they could and attacking the fire from the rooftop of a building next door.

"Upon arrival, we had heavy fire on the first floor. This fire rapidly raced up the stairs, involving all floors of this building," FDNY Chief of Fire Operation Kevin Woods said.

A longtime building resident who would not go on camera told CBS News New York he heard no fire alarms or smoke detectors that might have spared the life of a neighbor, or potentially the lives of pets apparently left behind.

On social media, the FDNY advised people who live in the area to close their windows and expect heavy traffic delays.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said East 187th Street from Belmont Avenue to Beaumont Avenue, and Crescent Avenue from Hughes Avenue to Cambreleng Avenue were closed to traffic.

"Pray for our families and neighbors. This is traumatic," Gibson said. "The FDNY shows up in this borough all the time. Residents know how many fires we have faced."

All of the first responders were up against challenging conditions.

"The roof has collapsed in a large portion of that building. A lot of the stairwell has collapsed as well, so we had to pull our firefighters out of the building," Woods said.

"Not every individual would go up there or inside and risk their lives, trying to make sure the fire's out, so props to them. And to those who are still up there in that smoke, honestly, you guys, I admire you. They're brave, really brave," resident Yameleith Rivera said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

"You're losing everything"

Others said they saw some distraught tenants being evacuated from the building.

"Yeah, they were crying. They were absolutely destroyed inside. You're losing everything," one woman said.

"What's on my body right now is the only thing that I own. Everything else is in there, so I have nothing, literally nothing," another resident said.

"There is probably 3 or 4 feet of water now, and I don't even know if my cat made it," another added. "What's gonna happen now?"

Surveillance video captured people on the sidewalk rushing over with a ladder to help save neighbors.

"Me and my cousin, we helped him down," said Abdulrahman Albahri, who works at a nearby deli. "He was shaken, too. He was very scared."

Moments later, video shows another person rush out of the burning building. Smoke appears to be coming off his sweater and his pants around his ankles. As he runs into the street looking distraught, people rush to his rescue.

"All his body was burned. His clothes was all torn up. All his clothes was burned," Albahri said.

Albahri said it was his responsibility to help his neighbors.

"They're like family," he said.  

The Red Cross said they were helping 82 displaced residents, including 24 children, with temporary lodging, disaster health services and more.