At least 19 people, including nine children, have been killed in a devastating fire at an apartment building in Bronx, New York City. The incident happened on Sunday morning local time. Stefan Ringel, a senior adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the death toll. He said the dead children were 16 years of age or younger. Of the 63 people injured in the blaze, 13 are in critical condition. All the injured have been admitted to the hospital.

New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Negro said it was the deadliest fire in New York City in three decades, according to firefighters. Most of the victims stopped breathing in the smoke. New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the blaze ‘horrific.’ ‘This is going to be one of the worst fires we’ve ever seen in modern times,’he told a news conference near the building on Sunday. An estimated 200 firefighters worked to put out the blaze in the building at 181rd East 333 East City around 11 a.m. Sunday. Preliminary reports said the fire was on third floor of a 19-story building. Flames of fire were coming out of the building through the windows.