A fire broke out just after 4:00 pm on Sunday, February 4, inside a first-floor apartment of a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) building at the corner of Bond and Wyckoff streets in Brooklyn. A 67-year-old man was killed, and three others, including a two-year-old boy, are in critical condition.
Firefighters pulled the four unconscious victims from their first-floor unit at the Gowanus Houses at 178 Bond Street, according to the FDNY. The four victims were in cardiac arrest when they were found trapped inside the apartment unit of the six-story building. Firefighters began CPR on the victims before paramedics rushed them to nearby hospitals in critical condition.
The 67-year-old man was pronounced dead on Monday when he succumbed to his injuries.
“They were all found in various locations trying to reach the front door. The female and boy were right by the front door after we forced it open. And the two adult males were in the kitchen,” FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Duggan said. “It appears they were trying to make their way out when they were overcome.”
About 65 firefighters got the blaze under control in about 30 minutes, the FDNY said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Gowanus Houses is a public housing development established in 1949. It consists of 15 separate residential buildings spread across more than 12 acres of land. More than 2,600 people live on campus.
