Four firefighters were injured battling a massive blaze that tore through a vacant Harlem building, FDNY officials said Thursday.
Huge flames could be seen blasting through the roof of the five-story building on W. 139th St. near Malcolm X Blvd. beginning 9 p.m. Wednesday, FDNY officials said.
“We had heavy fire on all five floors of this building and through the roof,” FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said on X, adding that the building “had been vacant for many years.”
More than 180 firefighters and EMS members were called in to put out the blaze, which began eating away at neighboring buildings, Woods said.
The structural stability of the burning building was so bad firefighters were ordered to fall back and “go to an exterior fire attack,” Woods said.
Three tower ladders were called in and pumped gallons upon gallons of water onto the roof, images shared on X showed.
The fire burned for nearly four hours before it was brough under control about 12:45 a.m. Thursday, officials said.
Four firefighters suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze.
FDNY fire marshals are working to determine what sparked the fire.