A gas explosion at 3485 Bivonia Street in the Bronx on Jan. 24 killed one person and injured more than a dozen while FDNY was investigating a reported gas odor. FDNY EMS treated and transported 15 patients (one critical, five serious, eight minor). Fires and severe structural damage affected multiple apartments on the 16th and 17th floors. Fire Marshals are investigating and roughly 150 homes were evacuated ahead of an expected winter storm.
Bronx Gas Explosion Kills 1, Injures Dozens; 150 Apartments Evacuated
New York City Fire DepartmentThe fire at 3485 Bivonia Street in the Bronx, New York on Jan. 24, 2026
A gas explosion early Saturday at an apartment building in the Bronx left one person dead and more than a dozen others injured, officials said. The blast occurred while New York City Fire Department crews were already on site investigating a reported odor of gas.
The initial call came in at 12:09 a.m. on Jan. 24 reporting a gas smell at 3485 Bivonia Street. According to FDNY, units were conducting checks on the 15th and 16th floors when an explosion ignited fires in multiple upper-floor apartments.
Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via GettyThe Bronx apartment building after the explosion on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in New York
Casualties and Injuries: The department confirmed one fatality. FDNY EMS treated and transported 15 patients to local hospitals. Chief Kathleen Knuth said crews treated one person who was critically ill, five with serious injuries and eight with minor injuries at the scene before transport.
Damage and Response: Chief of Department John Esposito described extensive structural damage, saying six apartments on each affected floor sustained severe damage. Firefighters reported fires in five apartments on the 16th floor and five apartments on the 17th floor. More than 230 FDNY and EMS resources responded to the incident.
New York City Fire DepartmentEmergency responders at the scene of the gas explosion in the Bronx, New York on Jan. 24, 2026
Investigation and Evacuations: Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore told reporters the blast occurred "within 15 minutes" of firefighters beginning their inspection of the reported odor. Fire Marshals have been assigned to determine the cause. Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg said roughly 150 homes in the building were being evacuated ahead of an approaching winter storm as city agencies coordinated recovery and sheltering.
Officials praised firefighters for their work on the upper floors during what Esposito called a "very, very dangerous operation," as crews searched apartments and protected civilian life. The scene remained active as investigators and city agencies continued recovery, damage assessment and support for displaced residents.
Key Details: Explosion time: 12:09 a.m. Jan. 24 • Location: 3485 Bivonia St., Bronx • One confirmed death • 15 patients transported • Fire and structural damage on 16th and 17th floors • Approximately 150 units evacuated.
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