NEW YORK – A devastating five-alarm fire tore through a residential block in the Bronx on Sunday evening, leaving one firefighter in critical condition and injuring 13 other people, including fellow firefighters and civilians.

The inferno erupted around 7:24 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in a multi-family home on Devoe Terrace in the University Heights neighborhood. The flames quickly spread to two adjacent homes, fueled by a fierce combination of factors that are now the subject of an intense investigation.

FDNY officials reported that a total of 14 individuals were transported to area hospitals. Among them, one firefighter is battling life-threatening injuries. The remaining injured include several other firefighters and residents who suffered from varying degrees of smoke inhalation and other non-life-threatening injuries.

The blaze rapidly escalated, prompting a massive response from the New York City Fire Department. Over 200 of New York’s Bravest from 44 units were on the scene, battling the intense flames and thick smoke that billowed into the evening sky.

While the official cause of the fire remains under investigation by FDNY Fire Marshals, the presence of lithium-ion batteries was noted at the scene. It is not yet clear if they contributed to the start or the rapid spread of the fire.

“This was a very difficult and dangerous fire,” an FDNY spokesperson said at the scene. “Our members went in there, they faced heavy fire conditions, and unfortunately, we had a number of injuries.”

The fire was brought under control late Sunday night, but the aftermath has left a scene of devastation on Devoe Terrace. The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents, and the full extent of the damage to the properties is still being assessed.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the daily dangers faced by firefighters and the destructive power of fires in densely populated urban environments. The thoughts of the city are with the critically injured firefighter and all those affected by this tragic event.