Harlem High-Rise Fire, Site of Deadly ’87 Blaze, Leaves 1 in Critical Condition

The Wall Street Journal – March 12, 2015

by Mark Morales

A fire inside an East Harlem high-rise left one person in critical condition and several others injured, including a pair of New York City firefighters, early Wednesday, authorities said.

The blaze was sparked just before midnight on the 17th floor of a 35-floor high-rise located on Fifth Avenue, Fire Department of New York officials said. The fire spread to the 18th floor and eventually rose to three alarms, officials said.

The blaze was extinguished just before 1:30 a.m., authorities said. The Schomburg Plaza building was the site of a deadly fire in March 1987, when seven people died. That fire led to changes in how the city’s fire department conducts inspections.

One person was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, fire officials said. Two firefighters who suffered minor injuries were taken to an area hospital. Nine other civilians suffered minor injuries but were treated at the scene, officials said.

Investigators are now trying to determine the cause of the fire, officials said.

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