Fire raced through the 16th and 17th floors as temperatures plunged into the single digits.
NEW YORK — A gas explosion before dawn Saturday ignited fires on the top floors of a high-rise in the Bronx, killing one person and injuring 14 others as firefighters evacuated residents from smoke-filled hallways and windows, officials said.
The blast struck a 17-story apartment tower on Bivona Street in the Eastchester section shortly before 12:30 a.m. The Fire Department said crews had gone upstairs to check reports of a gas odor when an explosion tore through upper-level units and set multiple apartments ablaze. City officials said one person died at the scene. Another person was in critical condition; others suffered serious and minor injuries. Utilities were shut down, and emergency housing was arranged for displaced tenants as investigators began working to pinpoint what caused the leak.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and found flames and heavy smoke on the 16th and 17th floors, where people were seen signaling for help at windows. Crews forced entry to multiple apartments, conducted searches and led residents down stairwells as glass and debris littered interior corridors. “The cause remains under investigation,” Fire Department Chief of Department John Esposito said, noting firefighters were already probing a gas odor on the 15th and 16th floors when the explosion happened. Officials said fires broke out in about 10 apartments and caused significant structural damage to roughly a dozen units on the upper floors.
Authorities reported 14 injuries in addition to the fatality, including at least one person in critical condition and several with serious trauma or smoke inhalation. More than 200 fire and emergency personnel in roughly 75 units responded, confronting icy streets, howling wind and subfreezing wind chills that slowed water flow and coated gear. City agencies evacuated all 148 apartments in the building and provided emergency shelter for more than 300 residents, including dozens of children. Damage assessments continued Saturday as engineers evaluated cracked walls, shattered windows and buckled doorframes in the most affected stack of apartments.
The apartment complex was formerly managed by the New York City Housing Authority and transitioned to private management in 2024 under a renovation program that included work on building systems, according to city records. Residents reported recent maintenance inside some units. The building sits near Reeds Mill Lane in the Eastchester neighborhood, where several mid- and high-rise complexes cluster around Pelham Parkway and major transit lines. The Bronx has seen several serious residential fires in recent years, including a 2022 blaze in Fordham Heights that killed 17 people, which prompted upgrades to alarms, self-closing doors and inspections in large buildings citywide.
City officials said inspectors from the Fire Department, Department of Buildings and utility crews remained on site through Saturday, documenting blast patterns, reviewing work permits and interviewing residents. Investigators are looking at the building’s gas distribution system and appliances on the upper floors, and they will analyze valves, meters and piping once the area cools and becomes safe to enter. No criminal charges had been filed as of Saturday evening. Officials said they expect preliminary findings early this week, with further testing and a formal report to follow. Housing staff coordinated temporary placements for tenants while the Red Cross opened a reception center.
As daylight broke, scorched window frames and blackened curtains were visible from the street while residents hauled bags to waiting buses. Neighbors described a thunderous boom followed by a rush of smoke. “It shook the whole building,” said longtime tenant Maria Alvarez, who lives several floors below the blast. “We opened the door and couldn’t see the hallway.” Crews rotated to warm buses between searches as ice formed on ladders and helmets. By late afternoon, firefighters had doused remaining hot spots and taped off the entrances while structural engineers expanded the restricted area.
By Saturday night, the city said utilities to the tower would remain off and access would be limited to escorted retrievals of medication and essential items. Officials said investigators will brief the public on preliminary results as early as Monday. A fuller report on the blast and building conditions is expected after laboratory testing of gas components and equipment.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.