Fast-moving fire kills 2, injures 2 others in Harlem

HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — A quick-moving fire claimed 2 lives in Harlem late Friday night.

The fire department says residents feared the roof of the home at West 132 Street and Lenox Avenue was going to collapse.

Cell phone video shows flames bursting out of the first floor of the 4-story brownstone.

The FDNY says this fire started just after 11:30 p.m. and quickly moved, trapping residents.

Police say 3 men were pulled out of the brownstone – 2 of them died and the other man is recovering at the hospital. Some of the residents had to receive CPR.

“People were jumping out the window, I don’t know if it was intentional. When we saw the fire, the top floor was already up in flames and the roof was already starting to cave in,” one eyewitness said.

I smelt the smoke for like 20 minutes, but we thought it was inside the facility, so we did a round in our building. We were like where’s the smoke coming from because it was so strong,” another eyewitness said.

The Red Cross is assisting those who live here.

Police and the fire department are still looking into what started this fire.

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