Five-alarm fire tears through Bronx deli and building; FDNY says at least two injured

A five-alarm fire tore through a Bronx deli, ripping through five floors above, early Monday morning, FDNY officials and Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

The fire department said the inferno erupted at 1365 Findlay Ave. in Claremont Village, just before 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 5.

After receiving a call about the blaze at around 3:18 a.m., firefighters arrived to find heavy fire emanating from the street-level deli. It quickly spread to the second floor, prompting Battalion 17 to call for a second alarm, officials said.

Firefighters battled a five-alarm fire at 1365 Finlay Ave. in West Bronx on Monday, Jan. 5, 2025.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

In a flash, the fire spread to the third and subsequent floors; about 270 firefighters and paramedics were at the scene.

Firefighters left the building and made an exterior attack. They then returned to fight the blaze, using multiple hoses to extinguish the main body of the fire.

The devastating fire left one FDNY member and a civilian with minor injuries; EMS brought them to an area hospital for evaluation. Dozens of people were displaced.

“Thanks to the over 250 first responders who rushed to the scene, the building was evacuated without loss of life,” Mamdani said on X (formerly Twitter). “I am grateful to FDNY and all our first responders for their quick response that saved lives and for supporting displaced residents.”

The fire marked the first multiple-alarm fire in NYC for 2026. It came just weeks after another five-alarm blaze in the Bronx that left one person with minor injuries on Dec. 18.

A group gathers to look at the aftermath of the devastating fire.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Kimberly Gonzalez-Ferreira, a resident of the building, was left with shock and sadness.

“This is an absolutely tragic way to start the new year with everyone looking up at new goals in life,” she said.

Billy Gomez, another resident, had just moved to NYC when the fire struck.

“I was looking forward to a fresh start in the new year. I just moved here from Rhode Island,” he said. “Now I have nothing.”

The fire was brought under control at around 7:12 a.m. The cause of the blaze is unknown; fire marshals will continue to investigate.