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A man died and a woman was critically injured after a fire ravaged their 4th-floor apartment on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope Wednesday morning, according to fire officials.
The Fire Department said the two people were inside an apartment on the top floor of 155 Fifth Avenuewhen a two-alarm fire broke out around 2 a.m.
Both were found with burns and smoke inhalation injuries, and taken to Methodist Hospital, according to the FDNY.
The police identified the victim as Steven Munoz, 22, a resident of the apartment. An earlier police report gave an incorrect age for Munoz.
The woman remains in critical condition at Methodist Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by fire marshals. The fire was concentrated in the front of the two-room apartment, fire officials told ABC7.
Fire officials said that the Park Slope bedroom door was closed, which helped contain the fire from spreading through the attached residential and commercial buildings on that block of Fifth Avenue. The apartment building was not fireproof, according to news reports. Fireproofed buildings are constructed with flame-resistant materials -- you can find out if your building is fireproof through the city's Department of Buildings.
There have been five people found dead or killed in fires this week around the city, according to the FDNY. One death is being investigated as a homicide while another victim was found with his hands bound.
The FDNY has warned the coldest winter months can pose high risks for residential fires for several reasons, including increased usage of space heaters. Fire officials ask New Yorkers to avoid using kerosene or propane space heaters, to put space heaters at least three feet away from flammable or combustible materials, and to monitor lit candles, among other safety tips.
In 2019, 66 civilians died in fires or related causes.
UPDATE 4:05 p.m.: The 22-year-old woman, Destiny Marmolejo of Brooklyn, died from her injuries Wednesday afternoon, police said.
