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Flaming Cat Sparks Two-Alarm Bronx Fire
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jan 10, 2015
Modified Jan 10, 2015
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jan 10, 2015
Modified Jan 10, 2015
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Eleven people were injured—two critically—after a two-alarm fire broke out in a Riverdale building yesterday. Officials believe the blaze spread after a cat got too close to a grease fire.
The fire began at around 5 p.m. Friday at an apartment building on Gouverneur Avenue near Van Cortlandt Park. The Daily News reports that a grease fire first broke out in an apartment belonging to resident Angel Alcazar while he cooked a meal. One of Alcazar's six cats allegedly caught fire and ran around the apartment, quickly spreading the flames. "I opened the door for the cat," one of Alcazar's neighbors told the tabloid. "He came through and I shut it because the smoke was overwhelming. It was really scary."
The Times reports that it took an hour and a half for the fire to be put out, with 105 firefighters on the scene. Eleven victims, all of whom suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, were transported to nearby hospitals. Two are in critical condition; three are in serious condition but are expected to survive, and the rest were treated for minor injuries. Five cats died, including the feline who was first lit on fire.
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Rebecca Fishbein
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