One Person Dies, 6 Firefighters Hurt in Blaze in UES Apt. Bldg.

A three alarm blaze that tore through the upper floors of an apartment building on E. 82nd St. left one person dead and six firefighters with minor injuries.

The fire was called in at 7:18 p.m. on Dec. 2 and firefighters discovered that the blaze which erupted on the fifth floor had spread to the fourth and sixth floors and to the loft above the ceiling of the top floor apartment and the exterior roof of the building at 526 E. 82nd St. between York Ave. and East End Ave., an FDNY spokesperson said.

“We had a heavy, heavy body of fire,” said Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Currao said at a press briefing. “The fire was originally on the fifth floor and sixth floors,” he said, and “it eventually dropped down to the fourth floor.”

As windows popped and flames could be seen erupting from several floors, the fire went to a second alarm at 7:32 p.m. and a third alarm at 7:40 p.m. eventually requiring 33 units and 138 fire and EMS personnel.

“There was a lot of fire moving at one time,” Cuarro said. “The biggest danger is the fire we see and the fire we don’t see that is moving in concealed spaces from floor to floor,” he said.

An unconscious and unresponsive male was transported by EMS to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

Six firefighters suffered injuries classified as “minor” and were treated at the scene, according to EMS assistant chief Paul Miano at the scene, while firefighters were still searching floors to make sure there were no other civilian casualties.

The sole victim was found in the hallway area of the fifth floor. “We had multiple apartments effected so obviously we have families that are going to need shelter,” Cuarro said. In all, he said the fire effected about 8 to 10 apartments in the 23-unit building.

Firefighters brought it under control shortly before 9 p.m.

Police did not release the identify of the victim, pending notification of the family.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.