There was one minor injury reported after a residential fire broke out on Saturday, July 4, in the Kingsbridge Heights section of The Bronx, FDNY officials said.

 

Meanwhile, NYC Department of Buildings issued a partial vacate order as one resident said the top three apartments on the fourth floor were destroyed with the roof caving in.

A department spokesperson said the FDNY received a call at 8.41 p.m. on Saturday, for a report of a fire on the fourth floor of a multiple dwelling at 2849 Webb Avenue, located between Reservoir Avenue and West 197th Street.

 

The spokesperson said a second alarm was raised at 9.25 p.m. and that 46 units, comprising 141 fire and EMS personnel were utilized to respond to the blaze.

One firefighter was transported to an area hospital with a minor injury the spokesperson said, adding that the fire was brought under control at 10.11 p.m.

 

A partial vacate order issued by NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) was seen affixed to the front door of the building later that evening.

Norwood News spoke to a few affected residents of the fourth floor at the scene and asked if they could describe what happened. Speaking in Spanish and holding a few of his belongings in his hands, Darvis Plasencio said, “Really, I don’t know. I was sleeping. My friend woke me up. There was a lot of smoke. My eyes hurt.” 

 

Plasencio said he lived in the apartment 4D next to where the fire broke out. Asked if he could see flames, he said, “No, no, no just a lot of smoke going out and an ugly smell.” Asked if it was an electrical smell, Plasencio said it was like a lamp burning or maybe a carton or paper. Ugly… ”

He went on to say that there are three apartments on the fourth floor which is the top floor. He said he didn’t know if there were families living in all three but when asked if there were many senior people living in the building, he said there were. He said all three apartments were destroyed. “The clothes, everything.. destroyed. We couldn’t take anything,” he said. “The roof caved in.”

 

Plasencio’s cousin, who lives in the same apartment, later said, “I was watching a movie and I smelled smoke. I checked the house and there was nothing and I went back to watch my movie and, like, ten minutes later, there was more smoke. There was mad smoke. We’d tried checkin’ everything and couldn’t find nothin’ and just walked out and ten minutes later, the fire department came in.”

The scene outside 2849 Webb Avenue, Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx, July 4, 2026, after a resident fire broke out. Video by Síle Moloney

Asked if he knew where the fire started, Plasencio’s cousin said, “I don’t know. They said it was between the top floor and the roof because it was inside the walls. That’s what the fire department says so.” He added that it may have been due to overheating. “The day before yesterday, the lights was dimmin’ out… all my lights, so I’m thinking it’s probably ’cause they’re using all the AC and stuff so maybe it was maybe ready to happen.”

 

Other residents we spoke to had been out enjoying the Fourth of July celebrations when the fire broke out, and said they just returned home once they got the word of the fire.

The scene outside 2849 Webb Avenue, Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx, July 4, 2026, after a residential fire broke out. Video by Síle Moloney

On Sunday, July 5, Red Cross spokesperson, Ned Klein, said, “After the fire on Webb Avenue in The Bronx last night, the American Red Cross has registered six adults for emergency assistance, such as a safe place to stay and financial assistance. Our Disaster Action Team returned to the building again today and is working to connect with additional residents who were impacted by this fire.”

 

Klein added, “Any residents impacted by this fire who need help with their recovery and have not already connected with the Red Cross should call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767) and select Option 1.”

A VIEW OF the destruction caused to apartments on the 4th floor of 2849 Webb Avenue, Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx, July 4, 2026, after a residential fire broke out. Video courtesy of Darvis Plasencio

A fire investigation unit was seen outside the building on Saturday night and the cause of the fire is under investigation. A spokesperson for Con Ed said on Sunday that they are sometimes called to fire scenes to switch off the networks so that the FDNY can safely carry out their work.

A Con Ed vehicle was also seen outside another building on nearby Reservoir Avenue and West 195th Street opposite Discovery High School in the early hours of Sunday morning, July 5. Meanwhile, at the corner of nearby Jerome Avenue and West 195th Street, opposite the Kingsbridge Armory, a seemingly empty fire hydrant was seen with a traffic cone covering the opening. The same fire hydrant had been seen operating at full throttle a week or so beforehand.

 

The FDNY encourages New Yorkers to use spray caps to open hydrants. “If you’d like to cool off with a hydrant, make sure you do it safely and legally, using a spray cap,” an extract from the NYC Department of the Environment (DEP) website reads. “When hydrants are opened without a spray cap, they can use 1,000 gallons of water per minute (or more), reducing water pressure in the surrounding area, making it harder for the fire department to fight fires when necessary.”

 

The scene outside 2849 Webb Avenue, Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx, July 4, 2026, after a residential fire broke out. Video by Síle Moloney

Click here to read FDNY’s fire safety tips. “During a fire, always close the door behind you!” fire officials say. “It helps contain smoke and flames, giving you precious time to escape.”

 

Read our latest coverage of the fatal fire at 2609 Bainbridge Avenue in which three young children from the same family died here, here here, and here.

A VIEW OF the destruction caused to apartments on the 4th floor of 2849 Webb Avenue, Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx, July 4, 2026, after a residential fire broke out. Video courtesy of Darvis Plasencio

As reported, the cause of the recent fire at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont on April 21 was deemed to be accidental. Read our prior coverage of the fire here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

 

Sign up for a free smoke alarm here.

 

*Miriam Quiñones contributed to this story.