NEW YORK --
A fire on the second floor of a Manhattan brownstone on Wednesday has claimed the life of one man and sent another victim to the hospital, fire officials said.
The fire occurred at 9 W. 122nd Street and Lenox Avenue. The fire began on the second floor, making it difficult for those on the third and fourth floors to make a clean escape. Firefighters had to go inside the fourth floor to help rescue two people, including a man in his 90s.
"There was a lot of rubbish, making it difficult to conduct our searches," said FDNY Deputy Chief Jim Hodgens.
The man died outside his home. Neighbors identified the man as "Mr. Foster," and said he was loved by the community.
Three other people were rushed to Harlem Hospital, including, neighbors said, Foster's daughter. Some firefighters also suffered minor injuries.
The cause of the fire was unknown as of Wednesday night.
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