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The Wednesday afternoon fire that broke out on East 81st Street has claimed the life of one resident, injuring seven others.
Manhattan *ALL HANDS* Box 1129
409 E 81st St off 1st Ave
FIRE APT 5A TOP FLOOR 5 STORY 25X100— NYCFireWire (@NYCFireWire) November 12, 2025
The FDNY says it received the call at 12:33 p.m. for smoke and fire inside a five-story multiple dwelling at 409 East 81st Street. Crews arrived to find the fire on the building’s fifth (top) floor. About 60 fire and EMS personnel were assigned to the scene, with 12 units working to contain the blaze.
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The fire was placed under control at 1:22 p.m. The FDNY originally reported that three firefighters and four civilians sustained minor injuries, while an additional civilian suffered a critical injury and was transported to an area hospital. That individual, a 74-year-old woman, was later declared deceased.“She has been here a long time,” the building’s super, Wally Acevedo, told the NY Daily News. “She’s very active in the community. She stayed on top of a lot of things.” Acevedo also told the outlet that she had a recent operation and “hasn’t been active in the last few months.”
The cause and origin of the fire are currently under investigation.
A representative from the Red Cross tells us they’ve “helped 2 residents at the scene of the fire with emergency lodging, financial aid, and comfort supplies like toiletries, food, and blankets.” Any residents impacted by this fire who need help with their recovery and have not yet connected with the Red Cross should call 1-877-RED CROSS (877-733-2767) and select Option 1.
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