>> 4:49 p.m., fire is reported on the second floor. spreads quickly. elevator shaftway, ventilated at the top, acts as an enormous chimney. it draws the fire upwards, engulfing the bottom and top floors in flames. some run to the roof to avoid the fire, hundreds of others are trapped on lower floors. in only ten minutes, the fire is upgraded to three alarms. but some fire trucks can't even get to the scene. precious minutes wasted as desperate bystanders, police and firemen struggle to clear those narrow congested streets. it's 5:18. the fire is upgraded company. >> the main urgency was that people would start jumping off the building. >> a 15-year-old here for a depp technical assistance appointment is trapped on the 13th floor air conditioning vent.