New York apartment fire claims 12 lives

New York, Dec 29: At least 12 people were killed and four others critically injured on Thursday in a fire at a Bronx apartment building.

The deceased included an infant, The Guardian quoted New York City's mayor Bill de Blasio as saying.
Other residents of the building were fighting for their lives with serious injuries, he said.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro called blaze, “historic in its magnitude”, because of the number of lives lost. 'Our hearts go out to every person who lost a loved one here and everyone who is fighting for their lives,' he said.
About 170 firefighters worked in biting cold, just 15 degrees, to rescue people from the building. 
The fire began on the first floor just before 7pm and quickly ripped through much of the building, officials said. UNI