Tragedy in Brooklyn: New York house fire leaves 6 dead and 9 injured

Six people died this Thursday and another nine were injured in a major fire that affected a three-story house in the Sunset Park neighborhood in the New York borough of Brooklyn, the origin of which is still unknown, the city's Fire Department reported.

Four of the victims, all adults, were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two passed away after being transported to local hospitals in an area with a large Latino and Asian population.

Firefighters rescued several people who had been trapped on the ground floor, in the back of the house, behind window bars, according to the department.

A partial collapse of an interior staircase also occurred inside the house while firefighters were battling the flames.

"Upon arrival, we found fire on all floors: basement, ground floor, and first floor; flames were coming out of all the windows and greeted us at the front door," said Kevin Woods, the Fire Department's chief of operations.

Four civilians suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while three firefighters and two police officers sustained minor injuries from the blaze, which began after 1:00 a.m.

"This is an unimaginable loss, and we join in the grief of every loved one and neighbor and pray for the recovery of the injured," said City Council member Zohran Mamdani, who thanked the firefighters for their prompt response.

"It will take this neighborhood a long time to mourn the neighbors lost this morning and to recover from this immense pain," he noted during a press conference alongside the fire officials.

Mamdani further indicated that authorities have relocated the neighbors displaced by the fire, which remains under investigation.

The fire, which triggered a three-alarm response and was brought under control around 4:30 a.m. (9:30 GMT), mobilized 74 units with a total of 231 firefighters and emergency medical personnel.