Two people are dead and at least eight others received minor injuries after a two-alarm fire broke out in a Brooklyn building Thursday morning.
There was no evidence of working smoke detectors in the three-story building where the fatal fire occurred, the New York City Fire Department said. The building houses a commercial unit on the first floor and has residential units on the two floors above.
The fire department and police units responded to a call about the blaze at 6709 11th Ave. in Dyker Heights around 7 a.m. Thursday. After the fire was extinguished, officials found a 58-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman who were unconscious and unresponsive, according to NYPD. Once EMS arrived, the two were pronounced dead at the scene.
Five other civilians received minor injuries, including a 31-year-old male, a 30-year-old female, a 4-year-old girl and a 3-month-old boy, whom officials removed from the scene, according to NYPD. They were taken to Maimonides Medical Center where they were in stable condition and were being treated for smoke inhalation.
The victim’s identities have not yet been released.
Three firefighters also sustained minor injuries, officials said.
Twenty-five units with more than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, where there was a “heavy fire condition throughout the building [that] quickly went to a second alarm,” the FDNY said. Firefighters were able to get the flames under control by about 8:15 a.m.
Footage taken by witnesses and uploaded to social media showed dark smoke billowing from the building.
Wilson Lliguischush shot this video of black smoke billowing from 6709 11th Avenue on his way to work. Residents describe heavy smoke conditions in hallways, many escaped out their windows onto fire escapes, but 2 didn’t make it according to #FDNY #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/tdciKafvmD
— Samantha Liebman (@SamiLiebman) November 9, 2017
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and is under investigation by the fire marshal.
Following the incident, the fire department pushed the importance of working smoke detectors to ensure safety on their social media. Firefighters also shared fire education safety tips at the corner of 67th Street and 11th Avenue in Brooklyn Thursday afternoon.
Following this morning’s fatal fire, #FDNY Fire Safety Education is sharing info at the corner of 67th street and 11th ave in BK until 3pm pic.twitter.com/IAfoOSG0BK
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 9, 2017
