Three people are dead and 14 injured in an early-morning inferno in Brooklyn, authorities said.
The fire swiftly engulfed 242 Albany Ave. in Crown Heights after being sparked in the basement of the three-story house at 4:34 a.m. Responding firefighters rushed to the scene in three minutes and 20 seconds and attempted to douse the 3-alarm fire while simultaneously evacuating residents.
The blaze proved tough for the FDNY to bring under control. Chief of Fire Operations John Esposito called it a “difficult and dangerous operation” in a social media post.
According to police sources, two 35-year-old men and a 63-year-old woman were rushed from the scene to Kings County Hospital where they were pronounced dead. FDNY officials also stated that one firefighter was also treated at the scene for serious injuries, although is expected to survive.
The fire was finally contained at approximately 6:32 a.m., FDNY confirmed. The American Red Cross is at the scene and Mayor Eric Adams also reportedly visited the site.
“We had heavy fire on three floors. Heavy fire out the top floor windows, out the second floor windows in the doorway, and fire in the first floor as well,”Chief Esposito said later that morning at a press conference.
The cause of the deadly blaze is under investigation, FDNY sources. Leaders of the department plan to hold a press conference later today.
This story was updated at 2:06 p.m.
