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One person died and 14 others were injured after a five-alarm fire and explosion struck a Bronx apartment building.

A massive fire and explosion at 374 East 209th Street in the Norwood section of the Bronx left one person dead and 14 others injured on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which reached a five-alarm status, was triggered by an explosion on the third floor that sent debris across the street and caused portions of the second and third floors to collapse. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore confirmed that the casualties include two civilians with life-threatening injuries, two with serious injuries, and four with minor injuries, along with six injured firefighters. The fire was particularly difficult to manage due to the building's structure, which was blown open by the explosion. While some residents reported smelling a strong odor for weeks and had contacted their landlord, official records showed no 911 calls regarding a gas leak from January until the day of the incident. The American Red Cross is assisting 45 displaced residents. The NYC Department of Buildings has issued a full vacate order for the building due to structural stability concerns.

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