A deadly two-alarm fire tore through a Manhattan apartment building early Monday, leaving one person dead and another with life-threatening injuries. The blaze prompted a large response from firefighters and emergency medical personnel at the Riverside Drive property, as reported by The New York Post.

Firefighters were called at around 1:30 a.m. to 660 Riverside Drive, according to FDNY officials. The six-story building stands between West 143rd Street and West 144th Street, the location identified in the department’s account.

2nd alarm fire in Hamilton Heights, Manhattan: FDNY Box 1621 at 660 Riverside Drive, West 143-144 Street, early Monday, Nov 9, 2026.

At 1:31 AM a fire was reported in the six-story, 75 by 100, Class 3 (non-fireproof) multiple dwelling at 660 Riverside Drive. The 10-75 (working fire) went out at 1:35, All Hands at 1:41 and the second alarm at 1:47, with fire and heavy smoke blowing out the front and residents upstairs told to shelter in place while firefighters came up to them. Staging was set at West 145 Street and Broadway, the corner the NYC DOT camera in this video watches. Division 6 had three lines stretched and the tower ladder supplied by 1:58; the body of fire was knocked down at 2:24. Searches above the fire were complete and negative, FDNY radio reported one person d**d and one critically injured (as reported Nov 9), and at 3:01 the fire was "probably will hold". Box 1621 went 10-8 at 3:04 AM. Units heard: Division 6, Battalions 16, 14, 11, 12, 2 and 4, Engines 59 and 72, Ladders 34 (FAST), 40 and 19. Real FDNY radio, Nov 9, 2026. Camera: NYC DOT (Broadway @ 145 St). Aerial: NYS orthoimagery. Building: NYC Building Footprints. Live FDNY alerts first: https://t.co/USaZZKXKIA 0:00 Shelter in place 0:03 Second alarm 0:09 10-75 at 660 Riverside Drive 0:15 The building: 1908, Class 3 0:29 All Hands 0:32 Fire blowing out the front 0:42 The staging corner (DOT camera) 0:48 Three lines, tower ladder 0:56 Knocked down 1:00 As reported 1:06 Searches complete 1:12 Probably will hold 1:17 10-8 1:20 Units heard 1:25 Close the door #FDNY #HamiltonHeights #Manhattan #NYCFire #NYC — NYC Alert (@NYCAlertAI) November 9, 2026

The fire was located in a third-floor apartment that officials described as heavily cluttered. That condition was included in the FDNY’s initial account, though officials provided no additional information about the apartment or the circumstances before the fire began.

The emergency escalated after the initial call, with officials reporting that the fire continued to grow. At 1:47 a.m., a second alarm was called for the response at the six-story building.

Massive two-alarm fire tears through Manhattan apartment building, killing 1 https://t.co/mV7nXPI2Fu https://t.co/v7WZAlucq4

— New York Post (@nypost) November 9, 2026

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One victim was dead on arrival, the FDNY said. Officials did not release that person’s identity, and no additional details about the victim were included in the initial information released after the fire.

Another victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Harlem Hospital. The FDNY did not release the person’s identity or provide any further update on the victim’s condition following the hospital transport.

A third victim sustained minor injuries, according to officials, but refused treatment. The department did not identify that person or disclose additional information about the minor injuries reported during the incident.

The fire also injured two firefighters. Both sustained minor injuries and were taken to area hospitals for treatment, adding two emergency personnel to the list of people hurt in the blaze.

Scene of fatal fire at 660 Riverside Drive and west 144 in Manhattan. 80 year old man died in third floor apartment. Officials say heavy clutter waist to shoulder high inside that apartment. Red Cross on scene. @1010WINS https://t.co/9Bo8OS300n

— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) November 9, 2026

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In all, 46 units responded to the fire. The response included 141 firefighters and EMS workers, according to the figures released by officials while operations at the property remained underway.

The initial call came at around 1:30 a.m., while the second alarm was called at 1:47 a.m. Officials said the second alarm came as the fire grew inside the building.

The heavily cluttered condition of the third-floor apartment was specifically noted by FDNY officials in their description of the scene. However, officials did not say what started the fire, and the cause remained under investigation.

Operations at 660 Riverside Drive were still ongoing at the time of the FDNY’s account. Authorities had not announced that the response was finished or released any findings identifying the cause of the blaze.

The available information left the identities of the dead and injured undisclosed. It also left the condition of the victim taken to Harlem Hospital described only as life-threatening, with no additional medical update provided by officials.

The two firefighters were described as having minor injuries and receiving treatment at area hospitals. No additional details about their injuries, treatment, or conditions were included in the information released by the FDNY.

Meanwhile, the third victim’s refusal of treatment separated that case from the hospital transports reported for the critically injured victim and the two firefighters. The FDNY classified the third person’s injuries as minor.

The official toll included one person dead, one person with life-threatening injuries, and three people with minor injuries, including the two firefighters. One of the people with minor injuries declined treatment, while the firefighters were transported.

The response remained active as officials investigated what caused the fire in the heavily cluttered third-floor apartment. The FDNY had not released additional details about the victims or their conditions as operations continued Monday.

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