An elderly couple tragically died in a fire that swept through their apartment building in Upper Manhattan early Tuesday morning. The 77-year-old woman, who used a wheelchair, and her 73-year-old husband were found in their top-floor apartment as firefighters battled the intense blaze on West 178th Street near Broadway in Washington Heights around 1:45 a.m.
The woman was discovered in the front room, and after firefighters managed to reach deeper into the heavily burning apartment, they found the man in the back room, according to FDNY Deputy Chief Malcolm Moore.
Both victims were taken to Harlem Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Their identities were not released pending notification of their family.
In addition to the fatalities, six other people were injured in the fire, including three firefighters and three civilians, all with minor injuries. The fire spread down to the fifth floor, with flames even visible on the third-floor windows, Moore added.
Thirty-three units from the FDNY, involving 140 Fire and EMS personnel, responded to the scene. The fire was brought under control about two hours after it began, and investigations into its cause were ongoing.