Man killed as fire breaks out at Trump Tower
Four firefighters injured; US president tweets praise for firefighters, 'well built building'
One person was killed when a fire erupted at Trump Tower in New York late Saturday, fire officials said said.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the fire broke out after 5:30 p.m. in an apartment on the 50th floor of the midtown skyscraper.
Nigro said the person who lived in the apartment was hospitalized in critical condition. He later died. Nigro said four firefighters suffered less serious injuries.
Smoke rose from the skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan around 6 p.m. but later subsided.
Nigro said the apartment was “virtually entirely on fire” when firefighters arrived.
Streets surrounding the building were closed off.
The New York City Fire Department tweeted a picture of the building showing flames but the blaze appeared to have been contained as firefighters made their way into the building.
Trump himself said the blaze had been extinguished.
“Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!” he wrote on Twitter.
Trump’s business is based at Trump Tower and his residence is there, but he has spent little time in New York since taking office.
Nigro said no member of the Trump family was at the building on Saturday.