Following the deadly 5-alarm fire in the Belmont section of The Bronx on Tuesday afternoon, April 21, as reported, that resulted in the deaths of two people and injury to 11 others, Norwood News spoke to some shocked bystanders and residents on the day of the fire to obtain their reaction.

 

In the meantime, the local clergy and community have been mobilizing to support their neighbors with food & clothing distributions & more.

 

As reported, an FDNY spokesperson said the department received a 911 call at 1.32 p.m. on Tuesday for a report of fire / smoke at 660 East 187th Street, a 5-story, non-fire-proofed, multiple dwelling (50×75) which is around 100 years old and is located between Belmont Avenue and Cambreleng Avenue.

 

The American Red Cross later said it had registered 23 households, including 24 children and 53 adults (77 total), for emergency assistance such as temporary lodging, disaster health services, and other recovery support following the fire. They said the reception center at Crotona International High School is now closed, and any residents who need help with their recovery who have not already connected with the Red Cross should call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767) and select Option 1.

 

Meanwhile, NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) has put a Full Vacate Order in place at the building. Read our initial story on the fire in full here. Response operations continued well into Tuesday night.

Speaking in Spanish, one local female resident, who declined to be identified and who was standing on the corner of Cambreleng Avenue and East 187th Street on Tuesday evening with other women and some children, observing the ongoing operations by emergency personnel, said the fire had indeed broken out at around 1.30 p.m. Asked if she lived in the affected building, gesturing, she said she did not but lived nearby.

 

In reference to the impacted, displaced residents, she said, “They’ll send them to a hotel, the poor people.” Asked if she had seen anyone injured or trying to escape the fire, the woman said, “Oh we didn’t see that, Mami, but people are saying there are two people dead and that they sent one child to the hospital.” Norwood News has no description of the injured due to HIPPA regulations.

The woman added, “We are known [to the impacted residents of the affected fire building]” she said. “We go to the same church as them over there. They are our neighbors, countrymen, Mexicans.” Asked if it had been a frightening experience for local children, she said, “Yes, for everyone because there were many people crying and choking [on the smoke].”

 

Eugene Phayre, a bystander, who used to live in Norwood but now lives in Albany, happened to be just visiting Little Italy on the day of the fire on his way to the Botanical Gardens, along with his brother Dennis, and told Norwood News, “We were just walking on Arthur Avenue and we started to smell smoke, and then we could see it up in the air and we started to move in the direction of where the smoke was coming from.”

He continued, “Just as we arrived at the building, engines were just already starting on the scene, but the fire was very heavily involved and a lot of smoke and there were people trapped on the fire escapes. They had a difficult time rescuing one woman who was quite large and she was on a peculiar spot on the fire escape and they had a difficult time getting the fire truck to rescue her off the fire escape.”

 

Asked what age the woman was approximately, Eugene said, “I would say she was in her mid-forties. Asked if she was alone, he said, “Ah she was with a daughter. The daughter was quite hysterical worrying about her mom.” Asked what age was her daughter, Eugene replied, “The daughter I would say was about 25 approximately, but the fire department did finally…were able to get a truck aligned and they had to break part of a tree to get the bucket in and then they had to lift her.”

He added, “I think it took four or five firemen to get her into the bucket and then they got her onto the ground. It was a very heavily involved fire. I’ve seen fires in the past but I’ve never seen one this bad.” Eugene agreed it had been very frightening. Denis said, “We got there when the first fire trucks just arrived so we saw people coming out windows.”

 

Dennis said they eventually stayed two and half hours just taking in the whole fire and rescue. “Then we went to Botanical Gardens and you could smell the fire all the way up there; that’s how intense it was,” he said. “The smoke, [it] was unbelievable how much smoke there was and how many trucks came. I’ve never seen such a contingent of firefighters at one time so it was pretty intense. I heard at least two people have passed and several people injured and some firefighters as well.”

THE AFTERMATH OF 5-alarm fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V1 Video by Síle Moloney

Dennis continued, “I just feel bad for all these people. I, myself, at one time, was involved in a fire, myself, and it’s not a pleasant thing to lose your possessions and unfortunately, they’re all homeless now. They’ve nowhere to go. They’ve lost everything. It’s really hard to watch.” We mentioned that the Red Cross usually provides temporary emergency accommodation.

 

“One thing I’ve always said and I don’t know why in New York City the City Council doesn’t require renters to carry renters’ insurance,” Eugene said. “The reason for that is if you lose your possessions, they cover a large percentage of it and they will put you up in a residence until you find permanent housing. The city does not do that. The Red Cross comes in, you get two weeks and then you’re on your own.” Denis later said he saw flames shooting out of a fourth-floor front apartment window at one point.

AFTERMATH OF 5-ALARM fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V2 Video by Síle Moloney

In a message posted to social media after the fire, Peter Madonia, chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District (BID), shared that effective Wednesday, April 22, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church would start collecting non-perishable food items, clothing, and toiletries for families impacted by the fire.

 

“We are deeply grateful for the bravery and swift response of our first responders and city agencies, and the support from our local elected officials,” Madonia said. “We mourn the lives lost in our community and keep all those affected in our thoughts and prayers,” he added. Fliers are attached.

 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, April 22, Catholic Charities of New York wrote, “We are heartbroken by the tragic fire in the Belmont section of the Bronx that has claimed lives and left others injured on yesterday. Catholic Charities staff are on the ground providing assistance to the community. At least 66 families have been affected—many displaced and distraught. Our immigration legal team is offering support, and mental health counselors will be present to care for those in need.”

They added, along with a heart emoji, “If you or someone you know has been affected and needs support, please reach out. We are here.”

 

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who had been due to attend an event in the Concourse section of The Bronx on Tuesday evening but was unable to attend finally due to attending an earlier press conference at the scene of the fire, later described the blaze as tragic.

Later in the afternoon, she updated Bronxites on the situation, saying, “Emergency personnel remain on site and are assisting tenants who have been impacted. The following street closures are in effect: East 187th Street from Belmont Avenue to Beaumont Avenue, and Crescent Avenue from Hughes Avenue to Cambreleng Avenue.”

 

She added, “This is currently ongoing, and we are closely monitoring the situation for further updates. Thank you to the FDNY, NYPD, EMS, NYCEM, SBS, and all emergency personnel for their swift and dedicated response.”

State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) issued a statement following the fire, saying, “I am deeply saddened by yesterday’s devastating fire at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont that caused the death of two individuals, displaced 82 families, and destroyed 3 small businesses. The impact of this tragedy is significant, not only due to the total physical damage to the building itself but also the emotional toll that it will take on the families of those who perished, on those families who have become displaced overnight, on the affected business owners, and our entire Belmont community.”

He added, “I understand that the Department of Buildings (DOB) has confirmed that the building must be fully vacated due to the extent of damage from this five-alarm fire. While the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, I am incredibly concerned by some of the victims’ testimonies who said that no fire alarm went off. If this is verified, such landlord negligence is unacceptable, and it is my hope that those responsible are held accountable for this egregious oversight.”

Rivera thanked the FDNY, NYPD, DEP, SBS, DOB, Con Edison, and the Red Cross for working around the clock to ensure that the fire was contained and that victims received immediate assistance. “I stand in solidarity with our affected neighbors as they face a difficult road ahead. My office will continue to monitor the situation closely and be on standby, ready to assist those affected in any way possible.”

He reiterated that any residents 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 or call his office at (718) 933-2034.

THE AFTERMATH OF a 5-alarm fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V3 Video by Síle Moloney

GoFundMe has also shared that a fundraiser for the Palacios Family, and another for another impacted family have been launched to rebuild after the fire. Norwood News asked GoFundMe to verify that the fundraisers are indeed legitimate, following a recent announcement by the Office of the New York Attorney General Letitia James of the creation of more than 1.4 million donation web pages for charities without their prior knowledge or consent.

 

Norwood News has been assured by GoFundMe that both links are valid and have been verified.

THE AFTERMATH OF a 5-alarm fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V4 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.”