Families picking up the pieces after fire that left 10 injured in Union Port
According to the FDNY, the fire could have originally sparked at 1103 Castle Hill Ave. and spread to its neighboring building.
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Multiple families are without a home after a devastating fire Monday that left 10 people injured, the FDNY says.
The FDNY tells News 12 that nine firefighters were injured while trying to extinguish the fire. One civilian also suffered injuries.
Luckily, authorities say none of their injuries are life-threatening.
Officials say an ambulance driver saw the smoke coming from the apartment building at 1101 Castle Hill Ave. after 2 p.m. Fire trucks arrived soon after to fight the flames. The fire did extensive damage to the buildings in the area.
According to the FDNY, the fire originally sparked at 1103 Castle Hill Ave. and spread to its neighboring building.
Yesir Arafat, a Bangladeshi exchange student, lived in the basement of 1101 Castle Hill Ave. He says he lost nearly everything that he came to the United States with, including his iMac, textbooks, and clothes, totaling around $5,000 in belongings.
He says that he's thankful he is alive and safe, but is not sure about his next steps, as some of his certificates and documents suffered water damage during the fire.
The owner of this building spoke with News 12 about the destruction of his property. He acknowledged the damage but said nothing compares to losing a life.
“The most important thing in a situation like this is to save lives and I tried my best. Especially with the building next door because of the fire. I shouted for the people who live there that are elderly people," says Deon Kharran, owner of 1103 Castle Hill Ave.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
The Red Cross is asking the families affected by this tragedy to connect with them to receive information on long-term assistance. A full vacate order by the Department of Buildings is in place at both properties.
