By Julian Roberts-Grmela, Thomas Tracy
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — A man killed when a massive fire tore through his Bronx apartment building early Thursday could be heard screaming for help as flames consumed his home, shocked neighbors said.
The 5:30 a.m. fire began inside the victim’s apartment on the top floor of the E. 184th St. building near Bassford Ave. in Belmont, FDNY officials said.
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As smoke filled the building and residents escaped, the victim could be heard screaming out his window for help, said neighbor Shaene Brown, who said the victim lived with his brother.
“He was yelling to me that he needed help and for us to come help him — but we couldn’t help him, for God’s sake.” said Brown, 33. “He was crying and he was pleading for help. But we just couldn’t help him.”
“It’s going to be awhile before I get (his) screaming out of my ear,” she added.
Video shows massive flames shooting out of the top windows and rooftop.
The victim’s grieving brother was too distraught to talk to reporters. It was not immediately clear if he wasn’t home when the fire broke out or managed to escape the flames.
He and more than 20 others were left homeless after the massive blaze sparked a roof collapse and destroyed several apartments on the upper floors, city officials said.
Four firefighters suffered minor injuries ranging from sprains to heat exhaustion and were taken to area hospitals.
Mayor Mamdani visited the apartment building Thursday with the Department of Buildings , the Red Cross and the Office of Emergency Management .
“My heart goes out to all mourning this devastating loss,” Mamdani said on X. “I’m grateful to the first responders who arrived quickly on scene to save lives and treat New Yorkers. I wish the four firefighters injured a quick recovery and thank them for their bravery.”
FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said firefighters arrived within four minutes and were met by “heavy fire on the top floor extending into the cockloft and through the roof.”
The cockloft is the space between the top floor’s ceiling and the roofline.
Firefighters stretched five hoses up the stairs to douse the flames, bringing the fire under control within three hours.
The fire was so intense that the roof collapsed into the top floor, Woods said. The ornate cornice on the top of the building also collapsed.
Brown, who lives on the first floor, was alerted to the fire by a neighbor banging on her door, telling her to get out.
“I didn’t think it was a big thing until I opened the door, saw the smoke and couldn’t see my hand,” she recalled. “I knew it was serious.”
Witnesses saw the victim, who hasn’t been officially identified, step out onto the fire escape when the fire started but he went back into his apartment for some inexplicable reason, Brown said.
“I don’t know what made him go back in,” she said. “Maybe the fire was too hot.”
Before it was snuffed out, the fire reached five alarms, bringing 280 firefighters and EMS members to the scene.
The victim was found dead inside his apartment.
FDNY fire marshals have been tasked with determining what sparked the fire.
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