March 29, 2024

One dead after fire breaks out at Trump Tower apartment

People watch NYPD officers and first responders asses the scene of a fire at Trump Tower on April 7, 2018 in New York City. One person has reportedly died and four firefighters were injured in the four-alarm blaze which broke out on the 50th floor.Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Getty Images.

President Trump, First Lady Melania, and son Barron are in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK — A man found critically injured after an apartment fire at Trump Tower in New York City on Saturday has died, police said.

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania and their son, Barron, were in Washington, D.C., a spokesperson said.

The Fire Department of New York commissioner earlier said that firefighters found the occupant of an apartment on the 50th floor and he was transported to a hospital in critical condition.

“The apartment was virtually entirely on fire” when firefighters arrived after an automatic alarm shortly after 5:30 p.m., Fire Department of New York Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said. Firefighters “pushed in, heroically,” and found the occupant, he said.

The person who died was not immediately identified. The New York Police Department said he was 67 years old and was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital. A medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

The FDNY said in a tweet that it was on the scene of a three-alarm fire.

Trump’s son, Eric, thanked the fire department in a tweet and said the fire was extinguished. President Trump on Twitter thanked firefighters and said the fire was “very confined,” adding “well built building.”

Around 200 firefighters and EMS members responded to the scene, Nigro said. A cause of the fire has not been determined, he said.

“This is a very difficult fire, as you can imagine. The apartment is quite large; we’re 50 stories up,” Nigro said. “The rest of the building had a considerable amount of smoke.”

Four firefighters suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, he said. Two of the firefighters were burned and two others suffered other types of injuries, according to Nigro.

Authorities cordoned off the east side of the sidewalk on Fifth Ave, keeping tourists and locals clear of the area. Around four blocks were blocked off around the building with a large police and fire department presence. Many on the street stopped to take photos.

Trump Tower, from which Trump made his formal announcement that he would seek the presidency in 2015, was the scene of a small fire in January.

That fire was called electrical in nature and started in a cooling unit that contains heaters, an FDNY official said at the time. Two firefighters were injured when debris fell on top of them and an engineer was injured but refused treatment in that incident.

Trump maintains a three-story penthouse residence at the building, which has earned Trump Tower the nickname of “White House North.”

Tom Winter reported from New York City. Phil Helsel reported from Los Angeles.

Source: NBC News

Share
Source: