Fire at Bronx apartment building injures 6, including 2 firefighters, FDNY says

The FDNY battled a two-alarm fire inside a six-story apartment building in the Crotona Park East section of the Bronx on Tuesday afternoon.

More than 140 firefighters and EMS personnel responded at around 4:30 p.m. to reports of a fire on the second floor at 1773 Vyse Ave. Fire officials said the blaze extended to the floor above and a hallway.

The fire took about 90 minutes to get under control, officials said.

The FDNY confirmed that four people were injured, including one seriously. In addition, the department said two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

"We saw smoke coming in the door. It was a very strong smell, so we just decided to run out through the fire escape. Everybody came out," resident Suany Ford said. "I grabbed my dog. We grabbed everything that we needed. My mom grabbed her purse and we literally just went out through the fire escape."

Ford said it was her dog, Luna, who alerted her to the problem.

"She's like one of the reasons why we knew something was wrong. She started crying and we're like, she's not normal," she said.

Fourth-floor resident Wander Soriano said he was at work when the got the call.

"It's overwhelming. I still got my heart beating too fast. Now that I see it, it's already gone," he said of his home.

"Thank God everybody is safe," said Angel Ford, who lives on the fifth floor. "I hope there wasn't any damage, just apart from structure because, you know, that can be repaired, but, you know, lives can't."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Red Cross was at the scene helping more than three dozen displaced people find shelter.