Two people have died and 11 people were injured in a seemingly terrifying, 5-alarm residential fire in the Little Italy/Belmont section of The Bronx on Tuesday afternoon, April 21, according to the FDNY. Department officials said they believe the fire started on the first floor, though this is still under investigation. The deadly blaze follows another fatal fire in Belmont at 505 East 184th Street on March 26, as reported, in which there was one fatality and nine injuries.

 

An FDNY spokesperson said the department received a 911 call at 1.32 p.m. for a report of fire / smoke at 660 East 187th Street, a 5-story multiple dwelling (50×75), located between Belmont Avenue and Cambreleng Avenue, which is a few hundred feet from the site of a shooting that took place in front of a barbershop on Cambreleng Avenue on April 8, as reported.

According to the FDNY, firefighters encountered fire on multiple floors. Based on online emergency service radio transmissions, it appears that the initial alarm was gradually raised to a 2-alarm sometime around 1.41 p.m., to a 3-alarm sometime around 1.45 p.m., to a 4-alarm sometime around 2.40 p.m. and eventually to a 5-alarm sometime around 4.11 p.m.

 

The rapid sequence of radio transmissions, which includes some references possibly to the availability of other fire units located in other boroughs, highlights the pressure the fire department is under in terms of managing responses to fires and other emergencies across the City simultaneously. Click here and here to read our previous coverage of the mental toll this is taking on firefighters.

 

Meanwhile, the FDNY said 84 units comprising 270 fire and emergency management services (EMS) personnel responded to the blaze in the end.

During a press conference held at the scene held on Tuesday afternoon, FDNY Commissioner Lilian Bonsignore, surrounded by other FDNY officials and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, described the day as tragic. She said the residential building also contained a couple of stores on the first floor and commended the firefighters who responded who she said carried out lifesaving work, “rescuing people, evacuating the building, fighting fire, and providing the highest quality medical care possible.”

 

Firefighters said the total patient count was 13, including the two deceased people, two civilians with serious but non-life-threatening injuries who were transported to Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park, four civilians with minor injuries who refused medical attention, and five firefighters with minor injuries who were also transported to Jacobi Medical Center.

 

Of the two fatalities and the injuries, the fire commissioner added, “Not prepared to talk about any other information about that at this moment. It’s under investigation by our fire marshals.”

The FDNY spokesperson later said the fire was brought under control at 6.37 p.m. and the cause and origin was under investigation, adding that fire and emergency units were still at the scene at 8.56 p.m. on Tuesday night.

 

In various videos and photos shared by onlookers, frightened residents are seen on the building’s fire escape trying to escape the blaze, as others are seen climbing up to try to help them, and as thick, gray smoke is seen billowing out of the upper floors.

 

In photos taken as far away as Fordham Plaza on East Fordham Road and Third Avenue, a huge cloud of the same gray smoke is seen from a distance rising high into the sky over the building.

Bonsignore also added that the Red Cross were on scene and had set-up a reception center for those impacted by the fire at Dodge High School [Bronx Academy for Software Engineering] located at 2474 Crotona Avenue. She said anyone looking for information on those affected by the fire should also make their way there.”

 

Later, FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods explained that the building was a non-fireproof building. “The first floor is commercial with two apartments behind those commercial occupancies,” he said, adding that there were also six apartments on each of the floors from two to five. “Upon arrival, we had heavy fire on the first floor,” Woods said. “This fire rapidly raced up the stairs, involving all floors of this building. Our engine companies moved in very aggressively, with multiple handlines, extinguishing fire on all of the first four floors.”

 

He said that when firefighters hit the top floor, due to the amount of fire and the structural [in]stability of the building, the roof collapsed into a large portion of the building. “A lot of the stairwell has collapsed as well so we had to pull our firefighters out of the building, go to exterior operations,” the fire chief said. “Our ladder companies pulled up. They did a phenomenal job. They rescued people in the front and rear of that building. 56 Truck rescued a civilian trapped at a window with no access to a fire escape, and rescued that victim via a portable ladder.”

He said similarly, many people were rescued from the front of the building from the fire escape, and added that the building incurred very heavy damage. In response to some subsequent questions, Woods said the response to the fire was very challenging due to the amount of voids in the building, which he said was over a hundred years old.

 

According to designbuildings.co.uk, in construction, a floor void is typically a vertical opening or hole that is left in the floor construction either to accommodate services or to allow the installation of a staircase, or as an aesthetic feature. Woods said fire travels through such voids, adding that the floors, the walls, and the roofs of 660 East 187th Street were all made of wood, while the exterior walls were made of brick. He confirmed there was a risk of further collapse inside the building.

5-ALARM FIRE AT 660 East 187th Street, Belmont, Bronx, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. V5 Video courtesy of a local female resident.

Referring to the firefighters, the fire chief added, “It was very difficult going up the stairs. The stairs were collapsing beneath their feet.” He said sometimes the FDNY has to put portable ladders over such stairs to reach higher floors. “Our members are very aggressive,” he continued. “We’re an aggressive, interior firefighting force.”

 

Woods added, “Many many lives are saved by the proper positioning of hose lines and that’s why when we respond to a fire, and the lights and sirens are going, we expect people to get out of the way. We expect people not to be on fire hydrants. By rapidly stretching those hose lines, they saved many, many lives today.”

Woods went on to say that though they believed the fire started on the first floor, and though this is still under investigation, they don’t know exactly where it started until the investigation is concluded. FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Stacy Scanlon later said that all 13 injured people were transported to local hospitals. Given we received a separate confirmation that some injured had refused medical attention, Norwood News queried this discrepancy with the FDNY and a spokesperson later responded saying, “They refused transport to the hospital after being treated for minor injuries by EMS on scene.”

 

Later, Gibson thanked all the first responders and lamented that, yet again, The Bronx was experiencing another fatal fire. “Our hearts go out to those families and loved ones of the two victims in this fire,” she said in part. “I want everyone to understand the important work that the FDNY, EMT/EMS, paramedics, NYCSM (NYC Services Management), the NYPD, and everyone has done here today.”

 

Gibson continued, “If not for their heroic efforts, there would have been many more serious injuries and potentially fatalities. I am so grateful, as the borough president, that number one, we were able to get the victims out and I encourage anyone who is associated with this building, you have a friend, a loved one or a relative that lives here at 660, please go to the reception center, which we know as the Dodge High School campus.”

As reported, following a series of large, serious Bronx fires, including one in which 13 people were injured in Kingsbridge in a building that housed several daycare centers, the borough president, in conjunction with the FDNY, organized a series of fire safety workshops throughout March.

 

Gibson continued, “Pray for our families and neighbors. This is traumatic. I cannot underscore enough the important work of first responders. The FDNY shows up in this borough all the time. And the residents of this community, you know how many fires we have faced. We had another fire just a few weeks ago in this community of Belmont.”

 

The borough president said that while the cause of the latest Belmont fire was still being investigated, the most important thing was that it was being brought under control, and that help was being provided to the affected residents. She added that the local Belmont Business Improvement District (BID) was also on site to provide support to the affected businesses. As reported, several small businesses were damaged on East Gun Hill Road in the Laconia section of the East Bronx on March 6 after another large fire.

 

5-Alarm Fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V1 Video courtesy of Dennis Phayre

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.

 

Norwood News reached out to NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for comment on the structural state of the impacted building. Andrew Rudansky, DOB press secretary said that DOB inspectors were called to the scene to conduct structural stability inspections at the building following a fire. He said the property was a 5-story, mixed-use, apartment building with 27 residential dwelling units.

5-Alarm Fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V2 Video courtesy of Dennis Phayre

Upon their arrival at the scene, Rudansky said inspectors observed extensive fire damage throughout the building, including a partially collapsed parapet at the front, a collapsed roof, extensive damage to multiple areas of the rear and front facade, and structural damage to the interior staircase. He said the utility company was called to the scene, and had cut utilities to the fire-damaged building.

“As a result of our investigation at the scene, it was determined that the fire-damaged structure was no longer safe to occupy,” Rudansky said. “DOB has issued a Full Vacate Order for the entire structure, impacting all 27 dwelling units. All residents who have been displaced by the fire have been offered emergency relocation assistance by the American Red Cross.”

Rudansky went on to say that DOB had ordered the owners of the building to immediately hire contractors in order to erect a construction fence around the fire site. “Due to the fire damage on the rear facade of 660 East 187 street, DOB has also issued Partial Vacate Orders impacting the rear yards of the two neighboring buildings located at 2384 and 2394 Belmont Avenue,” he said.

5-Alarm Fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V3 Video courtesy of Dennis Phayre

“These partial vacate orders [do] not impact occupancy of the two adjacent buildings, only the use of the rear yards,” he added. “DOB forensic engineers will be on site tomorrow morning, where they will conduct additional structural stability inspections at the building and attend an interagency meeting along with representatives of the building.”

 

Gibson added, “We are so grateful, at a time when our city sees far too many fires, and The Bronx faces the most, I am acknowledging the great work of the men and women of the FDNY, to our commissioner, who I speak to often, and our chiefs and all of NYPD, the 48th Precinct here and everyone that responded.”

 

5-Alarm Fire at 660 East 187th St., Belmont, Bronx Tuesday, April 21, 2026 V4 Video courtesy of Dennis Phayre