The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A rookie firefighter died Sunday after the floor of a burning 99-cents store collapsed, plunging him and four colleagues into the basement and burying them under a mountain of debris.
One of the injured firefighters was in critical condition, while the others were in serious but stable condition, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
“I ask all New Yorkers to take a moment and say a prayer for the firefighter that we lost,” said Bloomberg, who recalled meeting 25-year-old Michael Reilly at his graduation ceremony four months ago.
Scores of firefighters were called to the Bronx blaze. The five got trapped after the ground floor gave way while they were searching for victims, Bloomberg said.
Several injured firefighters were seen coming out of the gutted store, which sold discounted toiletries, kitchen supplies and knickknacks. About 20 were being treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire was extinguished by Sunday evening. No cause had been identified, but the fire was not deemed suspicious.