An explosion sparked a five-alarm fire at an apartment building in the Bronx on Wednesday afternoon, leaving eleven people injured, including some in critical condition, officials said.
Officials said more than 300 fire and emergency medical service personnel responded to the scene. However, the damage from the explosion made it more difficult to contain the fire, allowing the blaze to eventually spread across three floors.
"It was a very unusual and an extremely dangerous position for our firefighters," Esposito said.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said multiple people had to be rescued from the building before firefighters were pulled from the structure after a collapse occurred on the third floor.
"Our FDNY firefighters and EMS members did an extraordinary job—there were multiple examples of heroism," Bonsignore added. "The firefighters were rescuing people from the building and EMS was providing lifesaving treatment right on the scene, saving multiple lives."
Officials said four firefighters and seven civilians were injured in the fire. The victims were transported to local hospitals, with three people listed in critical condition, including two adults and one child.
The flames were not immediately extinguished, and FDNY crews remained on scene Wednesday evening to monitor the building and ensure the blaze was brought under control.
Officials said the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire remain under investigation by local fire marshals.
Power and gas services were shut off in the building, which contained 27 buildings. The Red Cross did respond to assist those who were displaced by the fire.
"Lots of very brave FDNY members were in there doing their job, and now the job becomes the collaboration between all the agencies," Bonsignore said. "All the other agencies that come together to make sure that the folks who were displaced from this particular building get the help that they need and that the patients that we removed and took to the hospital got the help that they need."