Bronx apartment fire leaves 19 dead, including 9 children

(CMR) On Sunday, a major fire in a residential apartment building in the Bronx in New York City left 19 people dead, nine of them children.

A total of 63 people were injured, with 32 hospitalized with life-threatening conditions, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said earlier Sunday.

It remains unclear what started the fire, but it is not believed to be suspicious, Nigro said.

“This is a horrific, horrific, painful moment for the city of New York, and the impact of this fire is going to really bring a level of just pain and despair in our city,” Mayor Eric Adams told CNN.

About 200 New York City Fire Department members attended the fire scene at a 19-story apartment building at 333 East 181st Street. The reportedly fire began a little before 11 a.m. in a duplex apartment on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building. Heavy smoke and fire reportedly fill hallways of the building.

“This is going to be one of the worst fires that we have witnessed during modern times here in the city of New York,” Adams said.

“I am horrified by the devastating fire in the Bronx today. My heart is with the loved ones of all those we've tragically lost, all of those impacted, and with our heroic FDNY firefighters. The entire State of New York stands with New York City,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Twitter.