A fast-moving fire swept through a two-story home in New York early Thursday morning, leaving six people dead and seven others injured, local authorities confirmed.
Three firefighters were among the injured after more than 200 first responders responded to the row house in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood. Investigators have not yet established what caused the outbreak.
"Upon arrival, we had fire on every floor," Kevin Woods, the department's chief of fire operations, said during a news conference near the heavily charred wooden house. "Fire blowing out every window, meeting us at the front door."
Firefighters rescued four people after making entry through a rear door to reach two residents trapped behind window bars inside the house.
Emergency crews contained the blaze in roughly three hours and eight displaced neighbors were relocated to hotels.
Four victims died at the scene. Two individuals taken to a hospital in critical condition were later pronounced dead, while four additional people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Three firefighters also sustained minor injuries during the response, the department reported. Authorities have not released any names.
Fire marshals are continuing to investigate. A lithium-ion battery was recovered from the premises, though officials noted it is currently unknown if it was connected to the cause.
"This was a devastating fire," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at the news conference. "It will take a long time for this neighborhood to mourn the neighbors they lost this morning and to recover from this immense grief."
