MANHATTAN — A large fire broke out in a 59th Street high-rise Thursday evening, injuring 20 people and four firefighters, according to the FDNY.
The blaze broke out on the third floor of 515 W. 59th St. near 10th Avenue shortly after 5 p.m. and spread to the fourth floor of the 33-story building, the FDNY said.
A total of 168 firefighters battled the four-alarm fire, which was caused by the "accidental, careless use" of a candle, the FDNY said. A smoke alarm was present, but not operational, officials said.
The fire was under control just before 8 p.m., an FDNY spokesman said.
Per #FDNY Fire Marshals: Cause of yesterday's 4-alarm fire at 515 W 59 St Manhattan was accidental, careless use of an open flame/candle
— FDNY (@FDNY) December 23, 2016
Twenty people suffered injuries, two of which were life-threatening, while three firefighters suffered minor injuries and one had serious but not life-threatening injuries, according to officials.
Rupan Kesherwani, who lives on the 20th floor, said she smelled smoke from inside her apartment and some neighbors were panicking.
"I came outside and it was all dark. It was really bad and scary. We couldn't go down because smoke was coming from the stairs," Kesherwani, 27, said.
Officials had no additional information on how many residents were evacuated.
