'This building is going to blow up.' Residents fear for safety after person seriously injured in Downtown Brooklyn apartment fire
The fire was under control in less than an hour, but the FDNY says one person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
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Firefighters responded to a report of a fire on the seventh floor of a building in Downtown Brooklyn on Nevins Street Monday just before 8:30 a.m.
The fire was under control in less than an hour, but the FDNY says one person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Thomas Costello says he woke up to the sounds coming from the hallway.
“Banging and the yelling. The super was yelling outside in the hallway, 'Open the door, open the door'. And I didn't know what was going on at first," Costello said.
Eyewitnesses told News 12 people struggled to get into the apartment where the fire started, with something appearing to be blocking the door. The building includes some supportive housing units for tenants with mental illness and substance abuse issues.
Camilla Tecsy says after there was a stabbing on her floor in March, she was scared but not surprised when the fire happened.
“The majority of people in this building, they're harmless. They need help. Like they should be getting support, but there has to be some kind of threshold and accountability of like, when you're doing things that is endangering the other people in this building," said Tecsy.
The FDNY appeared to issue a violation on the front door of the building for part of the building's fire protection system not being up to inspection.
A cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Tecsy is a mother of two young children. She said her family has reevaluated staying in the apartment.
"We have an expiration date of staying in this building, which is also sad because, you know, we should deserve to feel like we can raise our kids here and feel safe, but like we don't," Tecsy said.
The American Red Cross says anyone impacted by the fire can reach out to them by calling 877-REDCROSS and choosing option 1.
