Fire in Pelham Bay leads to injuries and evacuations

A late-night fire in Pelham Bay sent three people to the hospital and left more than a dozen homeless.

According to FDNY, a fire broke out at 3120 Buhre Avenue at 11:11 p.m. on Saturday, January 8.Firefighters were on-scene fighting the blaze for a little less than an hour before they were able to get the flames under control at 12:07 a.m. on Sunday, January 9. Twelve units, a total of 65 firefighters, responded to the blaze.

Thirteen tenants were evacuated with minor injuries. FDNY officials said one tenant was sent to Jacobi Hospital while another was brought to Albert Einstein Medical Center with minor injuries. Reports indicate that the 13 tenants could not stay in their apartment for the night.

The fire began on the first floor in the east wing of the building and affected several apartments above it.

The Red Cross dealt with two families, but did not need to assist any tenants with finding lodging for the night, Red Cross officials said.

On Wednesday, January 12, windows on the first, second and third floors remained boarded up. The smell of smoke hung in the air and black smoke damage was still visible on the doors, ceiling, walls and staircase on the first floor.

Mark Rodriguez, who lives across the hall from the apartment where the fire began, said he was at work when the fire started. By the time he came home, the building was too smoke-filled for him to stay the night.

“When I came home I was in shock,” Rodriguez said. “I got lucky, the fire department didn’t break in my door, but there was so much smoke and soot I had to leave.”

Rodriguez was back in his apartment by Wednesday.