FDNY battles NYCHA building fire in the Bronx, 2 firefighters suffer minor injuries
NEW YORK -- FDNY officials say two firefighters suffered minor injuries after a fire broke out at a NYCHA building at Watson and Colgate avenues in the Soundview section of the Bronx on Tuesday.
CBS New York has learned there is extensive fire damage to four apartments on the sixth floor and also significant water damage to the lower apartments, after crews fought the blaze for more than 20 minutes.
Officials said firefighters were met with heavy flames and smoke on the sixth floor, adding the fire soon spread into the crawl space between the ceiling and the roof, which caused the flames to spread even more. They said it was very fortunate the roof didn't collapse.
A neighbor, who shared videos with CBS New York, said he was playing with his kids outside at around 2 p.m. when he noticed smoke coming from a sixth-floor corner apartment. He said he began to see large flames shooting out of the windows and out of the roof soon after.
"It was crazy. It was huge flames on the roof. It was a huge flame. It was crazy scary. I thought somebody got killed, but thank God nobody got hurt," Wilson Lino said.
"When they called, I didn't think it was going to be this bad. I thought it was just going to be some smoke, but it was more than that," added Kenneth Giles, who lives in the building.
Residents who live on the other side of the building were waiting to get the OK to back inside.
Officials said the cause of fire is under investigation.