Crews rescued several residents from a four-alarm blaze at a residential high-rise Wednesday injured six people and three firefighters.
The fire broke out shortly after 6 p.m. at a 27-story apartment building in Yonkers, The Journal News in the Lower Hudson Valley reports. A malfunctioning electrical baseboard heater in a third-floor unit is being blamed for sparking the blaze.
"When the resident fled, the apartment door was not closed and the fire spread to the entire hallway, causing a blowtorch effect that that took numerous companies to extinguish," Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Citrone told the Journal News.
Heavy smoke spread through the high-rise, leading to multiple calls for help. One family escaped the smoke by jumping from balconies between the 19th and 18th floors, and ladders were deployed to rescue at least three people.
Six civilians and three firefighters were injured during the blaze, according to WLNY-TV. No details were given concerning the nature of the injuries, but everyone is expected to recover.
The fire severely damaged 20 units and displaced 13 families, the Journal News added.
