On Saturday at around 6 p.m. EST, a four-alarm blaze broke out on the 50th floor of President Donald Trump’s NYC Fifth Avenue flagship Trump Tower.
The blaze killed the 67-year-old civilian who lived at the apartment and injured four firefighters with non-life threatening injuries.
Flames and smoke were seen billowing out of the building and into the sky above Manhattan.
FDNYalerts MAN 4-ALARM 721 5 AVE, HIGH RISE (TRUMP TOWER) FIRE ON 50TH FLR, UNDER CONTROL
— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) April 7, 2018
The fire started as a two-alarm and grew into a four-alarm blaze.
The President’s office in the tower is on the 26th floor but he, along with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Baron, were in Washington, D.C.
There was a significant FDNY presence on-scene, reaching more than 140 firefighters.
The President put out a statement on Twitter: “Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!”
Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2018
Due to the size of the fire, even downtown FDNY units responded while hundreds of onlookers tweeted videos and pictures.
There is a fire right now in Trump Tower. Was small and then something happened where the size doubled in seconds! pic.twitter.com/NnFNHEfJBg
— Brian Lawton (@brianlawton9) April 7, 2018
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro told media at a press conference that the “apartment was virtually, entirely on fire” when firefighters showed up.
Debris was falling from the building.
Fire in Trump Tower worsening pic.twitter.com/6T1VsOCsuP
— Peter Thomas Roth (@PeterThomasRoth) April 7, 2018
Eric Trump also tweeted about the blaze and said: “Thank you to the amazing men and women of the NYFD who extinguished a fire in a residential apartment at @TrumpTower. The @FDNY and @NYPD are truly some of the most incredible people anywhere!”
Thank you to the amazing men and women of the NYFD who extinguished a fire in a residential apartment at @TrumpTower. The @FDNY and @NYPD are truly some of the most incredible people anywhere! 🇺🇸🇺🇸
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) April 7, 2018
Footage flooded Twitter as witnesses posted videos and pictures when the fire increased in size.
Lots of emergency activity around Trump Tower in NYC. Fire on the upper floors. Hoping everyone is safe. #trumptower #trumptowerfire pic.twitter.com/iupoZhoA1v
— Bright.Bazaar (@brightbazaar) April 7, 2018
Eyewitness reports fire at Trump Tower in New York City fire is expanding rapidly. No evacuations of Trump Tower being reported at this time pic.twitter.com/Mvgb5bdSWF
— NewsAlertHQ (@NewsAlertHQ) April 7, 2018
