1 killed, several injured in fire at Brooklyn building

NEW YORK – A dawn fire at a Brooklyn building that houses apartments and a deli left one person dead Friday and three others in critical condition, authorities said.

The blaze broke out about 6 a.m. in a corner building on Buffalo Street in the Crown Heights neighbourhood, Fire Department of New York officials said.

Four people were been taken to hospitals, where a woman died from her injuries, officials said. The three others were reported in critical condition. Six other people, including four firefighters, suffered minor injuries, according to FDNY Deputy Chief Anthony DeVita.

The woman’s name hasn’t been released.

The fire started in a four-story building with a deli on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors. DeVita said the blaze apparently started in the deli, which was closed at the time.

About 170 firefighters responded to the blaze. When the first units arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming out of the deli’s windows and reaching the second floor, Devita said. The windows on the store and most of the apartment windows above the business were broken during the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.