Sawa Fire News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

That's going to obviously be part of the investigation. that's really going to be a big focus here. but just to get a sense of what happened here, that fire starting at one of those apartments in the building that you see behind me, about 19 floors. now, the fire itself mainly contained to that duplex apartment. but the smoke, as you just heard from the mayor, that was the biggest threat here. that's what led to so much devastation and so many injuries here. and now that we know those 19 fatalities. and this community in the bronx, jim, is preparing for news that that number is likely going to...

Unprecedented. >> yeah, it must be so frightening for the people there. and, polo, when was the last time new york city saw a fire of this magnitude? i mean, they don't have fires like this very often. >> reporter: they certainly don't. and the fire commissioner told me that this was the last time that they saw something that would potentially compare to this is about 32 years ago a fire here in the bronx. so it certainly gives you kind of a sense of when the last time was that they had to respond with these numbers. there were 200 personnel that were out here trying to rescue pe people. you c...

Actually lives here. and it was about 11:00 this morning when fire broke out in that apartment, and that's initially what caused the situation that we've seen now. now in terms of the damage, we understand the fire itself was actually contained mostly to that apartment. but the smoke led to the majority of the injuries. over 60 people who are hurt today, about half of them were transported in a critical state to hospitals. and we now know 19 people confirmed dead, nine of them children. and that is adding just another layer of heartbreak here. and the fire commissioner telling me that that is ...

Left open, and what happens in cases like that, it allows the smoke to spread in a rapid fashion. it appears as though many who were injured in this case was due to smoke inhalation. i spoke to a young man who was an uber driver. his loved ones were in the building, and he's seeking information, so i can only imagine the uncertainty that is really engulfing those who have families that are connected. but this tragedy's impact -- layers apart from each other. and we're going to try to get as much information as possible to all those who are seeking it. >> i want to get right to cnn's polo sando...

Announcer: tired of pain radiating down your leg and lower back? get relief finally, with magnilife® leg and back pain relief. and get living. available at your local retailer. back to our breaking news. 19 people dead including nine children after a massive fire at a high-rise building in new york. fire officials describing the scene in the bronx as unprecedented with victims in cardiac and respiratory arrest in the stairwells of every floor of the building that is 19 stories high. let's go back to cnn's polo sandoval who's still on the scene for us. polo, what more can you tell us? >> rep...