1 man dead after apartment fire breaks out at Trump Tower

pulse

April 7, 2018 11:51 PM

One person was killed after a four-alarm blaze broke out at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, New York City authorities said.

One man was killed in an apartment fire at Trump Tower in New York City on Saturday.
Firefighters responded to a four-alarm blaze shortly after 5:30 p.m. and brought the flames and smoke under control by 8 p.m.
The fire department said four firefighters received non-life-threatening injuries.

One man is dead and four firefighters received minor injuries after a four-alarm blaze broke out at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York City officials said Saturday.

Firefighters arrived at the blaze to find an entire apartment engulfed in flames, with one occupant critically injured, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said at a press conference Saturday evening. That occupant later died in hospital, fire officials told the Associated Press.

President Donald Trump was not in New York City at the time, though he has an office and residence in the building. No members of Trump's family were in the tower during the fire, Nigro said.

Trump tweeted shortly before 7 p.m. local time that the fire had been extinguished and thanked the firefighters for their response.

"Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!" Trump tweeted.

The FDNY tweeted just after 8 p.m. that the fire was finally under control.

When asked by reporters if the building was "well built" as Trump had tweeted, Nigro confirmed that it was — though he said the upper floors and residence floors do not have sprinklers.

The New York City Police Department said it closed off several blocks around the area during the blaze. Photos and videos posted on Twitter showed flames and thick, black smoke pouring out the side of the skyscraper.