Woman, Child Killed In Harlem Apartment Fire, Police Say

EAST HARLEM, NY — A woman and a young girl perished in a fire that broke out in their East Harlem apartment early Wednesday, according to authorities.

The blaze began in a sixth-floor apartment on East 129th Street near Lexington Avenue, part of the NYCHA Jackie Robinson Houses, at around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said.

Responders found three people inside the apartment: a five-year-old girl, a 36-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man — the father of the child, and boyfriend of the woman.

The girl and the woman were both rushed to nearby hospitals, but could not be saved, police said. The man was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Wednesday morning, police said.

Three dogs inside the apartment also died, police said. No other apartments in the building caught on fire.

Responders found an e-bike at the scene and were investigating whether that may have caused the fire, an NYPD spokesperson said. An investigation by the FDNY's fire marshal is ongoing.

The victims' names were not released pending family notification, police said.