Two people have died and 14 people are reported injured, some with life-threatening injuries after a 5-alarm, residential fire broke out in the Norwood section of The Bronx, following a reported explosion at 374 East 209th Street between Decatur Avenue and Parkside Place on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 5. A major, multi-departmental response was launched and the FDNY remain at the scene, though the fire was brought under control on Wednesday at 8.18 p.m.

 

A fire department spokesperson said they received a call for a reported explosion on the third floor of 374 East 209th Street between Decatur Ave and Parkside Place at 12.26 p.m. on Wednesday. The spokesperson said fire was confirmed on the second and third floors of the 5-story, multiple dwelling. It later spread to a third floor according to the FDNY.

Fire response at 374 East 209th Street, Norwood, Wednesday,  Aug. 5, 2026 V2

The spokesperson said a second alarm was transmitted at 12.37 p.m., a third at 12.47 p.m. a fourth at 1.09 p.m. and a fifth alarm was transmitted at 1.45 p.m. The spokesperson said 84 units, comprising  270 Fire/EMS personnel had responded to the scene after the 5th alarm.

 

EMS initially reported two adult civilians with life-threatening injuries, and one civilian with serious injuries. The latter is a child according to the FDNY. EMS said five civilians had minor injuries and four firefighters had serious injuries.

The FDNY later updated the injury count and said two people were found deceased inside the building, two civilians have life-threatening injuries, two civilians have serious injuries, four civilians have minor injuries, three firefighters have serious injuries, and three firefighters have minor injuries.

 

Earlier on Friday, Aug. 8, the FDNY said that while conducting searches on Wednesday, firefighters located one deceased victim. They said that victim was removed from the building on Wednesday evening. They said the same evening, a civilian at the scene reported to Fire Marshals that one of their family members was missing.

 

“Due to a floor collapse, the FDNY worked to shore up the building and make it safe for members to search for the additional victim that was reported missing,” an FDNY spokesperson said. “On Friday afternoon, at approximately 1500 hrs, FDNY members located what is believed to be a victim within the debris.”

 

As of 4.31 p.m. on Friday, the FDNY said the second person had not yet been identified, and was still inside the building [despite video footage circulating earlier on social media of an apparent second body being removed]. The spokesperson said firefighters were initially unable to get to the person due to the building being too unstable but as of 5.30 p.m., confirmed the second body had also been removed.

 

The spokesperson added that fire marshals are continuing to conduct their investigation. When asked, the FDNY also confirmed that all firefighters have been accounted for.

 

Operations remained ongoing on Wednesday evening and many streets around the area including a section of Webster Avenue were occupied by emergency vehicles. It had been recommended that traffic avoid the area.

Fire response on E Gun Hill near the fire at 374 East 209th Street, Norwood, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026 V3

One female resident, Elise Falcon, said several of her pets were trapped inside Apartment BB on the ground floor level. A police officer at the scene told Norwood News the fire department had already completed a check of all floors.

 

Norwood News followed up with local animal welfare groups to see if anything further could be done. Betty Arce, who runs a local cat rescue group, said she later visited the scene but was not allowed past a specific barrier. Several helicopters were heard flying above the scene on Wednesday.

One young man called Hakiem who lives in the affected building and who was seen in shock and crying while speaking on his cellphone nearby told Norwood News, “So, the explosion happened. I was going to the store originally so I was in the house. I live right across (the corridor) from the explosion. I Iive on the second floor.” Hakiem proceeded to break down as he recounted what happened.

 

“Luckily, I have a higher power and I believe in God ’cause he told me not to forget my key and as I turned around, I guess her [a neighbor] door collided into my door, and my door literally flies past my face,” he said, breaking down again as he started to answer calls from friends asking if he was ok.

Butta, a witness to the fire at 374 E 209th Street in Norwood, The Bronx following an explosion Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, describes what she saw. V4

We asked Hakiem if he should maybe get checked out by a health professional. “Nothing hit me. Thank God. That has to be God, like I said. I’m not affected,” he said, his voice shaking. “I just want my stuff because I work so hard for everything.”

 

Hakiem, who said he lived alone in his apartment, continued, “I just don’t know where I’m going to live because my apartment was affected by the fire and the fire is still going.” Norwood News mentioned that the Red Cross was on site to help with emergency accommodation. “They’re busy,” he said. “They’re busy still trying to figure out what’s going on with the fire. I don’t see them talking to people right now.” Hakiem continued to weep, clearly very distraught.

He concluded, “More than that [the fire], I was just fighting to survive already,” he said. “I’m really well known and like life added….this is like a big setback. I had things to do tonight and now I don’t know what I can do. It’s how I make money, so I don’t know.”

A Red Cross representative provided Norwood News with several updates throughout the day, saying, “After the fire on East 209^th Street in The Bronx, the American Red Cross is on scene to register residents for emergency assistance.”

The representative continued, saying that as of 9 p.m. on Wednesday it had registered 18 households (45 people including seven children and 38 adults) for emergency assistance, including temporary lodging and other services. “Together with NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM), a reception center is open at P.S. 56, 341 E 207th St., Bronx, NY,” a spokesperson said. “Here, residents can meet and register with the Red Cross. Registration continues.”

Red Cross officials said the center later closed after 9 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Any residents impacted by this fire who need help with their recovery and have not yet connected with the Red Cross should contact 877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767), according to the Red Cross.

Later, the FDNY held a press conference at the scene and Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore gave an overview on ongoing operations, confirming that the department responded to a report of an explosion but that they do not know yet what the origin of the explosion was. She said the first fire units arrived on scene within three minutes and they found heavy smoke at the scene.

Bonsignore said as further alarms were raised, over 300 EMS and FDNY members responded to the blaze in the end. She said multiple people had to be rescued out of the building, saying the firefighters and EMS personnel did an “extraordinary job.”

“This was a very difficult fire on a very hot and humid day,” she said. “There were multiple examples of heroism where the firefighters were rescuing people from the building and EMS was providing lifesaving drugs and treatment right on the scene, saving multiple lives.”

The fire commissioner said accessibility to the scene had been challenging given its location on a hillside street.

 

Fire Chief John Esposito later said that when firefighters went on to the second floor, they were met with an extremely heavy fire condition.

Referring to some type of explosion, he said, “It blew out window frames. It blew some of them across the street.” He also confirmed that on the second floor, some of the doors had been blown off the hinges as well. Esposito said this added to the difficulty of confining the fire while conducting searches.

 

He said because of this, the fire spread rapidly into the hallway, up the stairs, and into adjacent apartments that also had their doors blown off. “A very unusual and dangerous position for our firefighters,” the chief said, adding that there were members of the FDNY above the fire as it spread to three floors eventually.

“We made a decision to withdraw our members due to a collapsed roof inside the building, from the third floor into the second floor in one of the apartments,” Esposito said, adding that it was a dangerous situation.

 

As of Wednesday afternoon, he said the fire was still not under control and that units would be remaining on scene throughout the night to ensure it was extinguished, which it since has been.

It was confirmed during the press conference that seven, injured civilians were residents of the building. Asked if there had been calls from residents to check on gas in the building in recent weeks, officials said they had no information in that regard. Bonsignore added that the child’s injuries were not too serious but with any child injury, she said it was standard practice to “up-triage.” It was confirmed that Con Ed, who were on scene, had cut off power and gas from the building.

 

The building is owned by Lyncrest LLC with an address in Monsey, NY. A leases and rents assignment agreement is in place in respect of the property between JG Funding Corp, with an address in Staten Island, and Revival Health Services LLC, with an address in Boca Raton, Florida.

 

When asked, police later told Norwood News that an unconfirmed report that a woman was arrested at the scene of the fire was unfounded. When asked if a criminal investigation into the cause of the fire was underway, the NYPD referred us to the FDNY. We asked the same question of the FDNY, and a representative said, “The Fire Marshal’s investigation is still underway. They have not determined whether or not it is criminal at this time.”

Fire response on Webster Ave near the fire at 374 East 209th Street, Bronx, Aug. 5, 2026. V5

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who had attended the press conference earlier on Wednesday, later said the full evacuation of all 27 units in the building had left all residents displaced (but assisted by the Red Cross, as above.) “Thank You to our FDNY firefighters, emergency services and personnel, NYPD, American Red Cross, the Norwood Heights School, elected officials and other agencies,” Gibson said.

 

“We are so saddened for our families tonight and keep them in our prayers. Our office, along with elected representatives and city agencies will support our families during this time. Anyone associated with this fire in need of help, please call the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS.”

 

State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), who represents Norwood, later said he was deeply saddened by the fire, lamenting the loss of “one of our neighbors,” the injured 14 victims, and the displaced families. “My thoughts are with the loved ones of the individual who died and with all those affected by this devastating incident,” he said.

“I want to especially thank the brave FDNY firefighters for containing this terrible fire, especially those injured while courageously responding to this emergency. Further, I want to thank the NYPD, NYC Emergency Management, Department of Buildings, the Red Cross, and Con Edison for immediately assisting the displaced families during this difficult time.”

Rivera said his office would continue to monitor the situation closely and be on standby, ready to assist those affected in any way possible. “For those impacted by the fire who may need assistance, please reach out to my office at 718-933-2034,” he said.

A joint statement by Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11), Gibson, and Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80), was also released following the fire and can be read below.

On Thursday, Aug. 6, Falcon confirmed her pets had been rescued.  At the scene later that night, a full vacate order notice was seen affixed to the door of the building. Most windows were blown out as workers nearby carried out asbestos testing on items removed from the building. Some air conditioning units were still seen in some windows, while others had reportedly been blown out the previous day.

According to asbestos.com, asbestos tests are carried out after a fire primarily because extreme heat and structural damage shatter fire-resistant building materials, releasing microscopic, cancer-causing asbestos fibers into the air. Because asbestos cannot be destroyed by normal fire temperatures, it remains fully toxic after a blaze. Testing ensures that these invisible hazards are identified before anyone breathes them in or spreads them further.

Two firefighters still at the fire site were seen interacting the same evening with a little boy, accompanied by his mom, explaining to him the different parts of the adjacent fire truck as the the young child looked up, seemingly fascinated at the sight.

 

Meanwhile, City officials also are also reminding New Yorkers that uncapped fire hydrants running non-stop come with significant safety and environmental impacts. Representatives from the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the FDNY were in and around Fordham Plaza on Friday, Aug. 7, at 10 a.m. for a grassroots walk-along to educate communities on the proper use of fire hydrant spray caps.

Officials said an uncapped fire hydrant gushes over 1,000 gallons of water per minute, which quickly drops local water pressure, threatens FDNY firefighting efforts, and creates dangerous safety risks for children because of the extremely strong water pressure. They said when official city spray caps are used on hydrants, they reduce the water flow to a safe, sprinkler-like, 20 to 25 gallons per minute. They added that these spray caps help:

 

• maintain water pressure for firefighters during emergencies;
• reduce wasted drinking water;
• create a safer way for children to cool off; and
• protect one of New York City’s most valuable resources.

 

Outreach specialists, including CUNY student summer interns from the area, will be talking directly with residents and passing out heat-safety flyers, while Fire Safety Education teams will be on hand to provide background on the use and importance of the spray caps.

 

The following GoFundMe page, confirmed as valid by GoFundMe officials, is live for anyone who wishes to donate.