Inferno rips though Bronx apartment, 4 children among dozen dead from fast-moving blaze

A horrific fire has killed a dozen people in a five-story Bronx apartment. Four of the victims are children, including a mother who was found cradling her one-year-old child in a bathtub as they died. 

A dozen people have died in a fast-moving blaze in the Bronx.

Highlights

By Marshall Connolly (Catholic Online)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
12/29/2017 (7 years ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: Bronx, fire, apartment, largest

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - A fire has destroyed a Bronx apartment, killing 12 people and injuring 15 others. More than 170 firefighters struggled in 15-degree weather to extinguish the fire, the water from their hoses turning to ice as they worked. 

The fire appears to have started on the first floor, just before 7 PM, although the exact cause remains unknown. Investigators say they suspect a gas leak may have made the fire worse. 

The fire ripped through the apartment in seconds, depriving many people of a chance to escape the five-story structure. One victim was a one-year-old child, cradled in her mother's arms. The mother also died in the blaze. The pair were found in a bathtub. 

The fire is being called the deadliest in a quarter century (with 9/11 a frank exception). The five-alarm blaze also brought out Mayor Bill De Blasio and the city's top fire officials. 

In the aftermath, as bodies were being removed from the smoldering structure, officials revealed the building had at least six open code violations, including two for faulty smoke detectors and one for a faulty carbon monoxide detector. The violations suggest a degree of neglect in maintaining the apartment and have been open since August. It is unclear if they have been resolved. While inexcusable, it should be noted that such violations are common everywhere. 

The fire moved so quickly, it is thought most people had no time to escape. A broken gas line is suspected in the blaze.

Meanwhile, four people are fighting for their lives in hospitals while another 11 are recovering from injuries but expected to survive. 

Mayor De Blasio has called for prayers and promised that details will be made available as they are known.