1 dead, 17 injured in Harlem apartment building fire

NEW YORK - One person died and 17 others were injured -- four critically -- in a fire in Harlem on Friday. 

The fire broke out at around 2:15 p.m. at six-story apartment building at St. Nicholas Place near 149th Street.

Fire officials say when firefighters entered the building, they found flames blowing out of a third-floor apartment into the hallway, blocking off a stairwell.

"Normally, we go directly up to the floor above the fire, but we were even unable to get past those flames, so we needed the engine company to come in and extinguish some of the fire, and they ran up there immediately and were able to find some unconscious victims and remove them as quickly as possible," one FDNY official said.

Firefighters were able to make their way to the upper floors, where there was a heavy smoke condition.

Fire officials say numerous people on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors were waiting for rescue on fire escapes, and some people were hanging out windows on the fifth floor.

"We couldn't even go out of our front door and there were people out there. I was trying to call them. Eventually I broke down some locked doors and I got to the fire escape. We had to get past that," one person said. "People were in the hallway in the smoke saying 'Help me.' I was trying to grab them."

Three people were found unconscious in hallways on the upper floors.

Fire officials say firefighters made three rope rescues, noting that is unusual at one fire as they usually only perform one or two rope rescues per year.

One of the firefighters who performed a rope rescue is a probationary firefighter who has been on the job for less than a year.

"This is an evolution we do every week at the firehouse, and it was just like we trained," Probationary Firefighter Jason Lopez said.

A total of 18 people were rescued.

"EMS units on scene treated a total of 18 patients. Twelve were transported to area hospitals. Five of those 12 were critical patients. One succumbed to their injuries at the hospital," an FDNY official said.

Firefighters were able to reunite one family with their dog.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Department of Buildings says due to significant fire damage, a full vacate order has been issued and the landlords have been instructed to seal up the building. Crews will be back on the scene Saturday morning.

The Red Cross has opened a reception center for displaced families at P.S./I.S. 210 located at 501-503 W. 152nd St. Residents can register for emergency assistance and pick up blankets and hot meals. Any affected residents who are not able to stop by the reception center should call 877-RED-CROSS.