Five people, including three firefighters, were hurt in a blaze that engulfed a Central Park South high-rise apartment yesterday after FDNY efforts were delayed by a broken fire hydrant, sources said.
The flames raged as firefighters were held up for more than five minutes because the fire hydrant closest to the 18-story building wasn’t working.
“We had to use the fire hydrant on the corner,” a source told The Post. “We had to drag five lines 50 feet each.”
The 7:30 a.m. fire was ignited by candles that had been lit in a 14th-floor studio apartment, an FDNY chief said.
A 72-year-old man and 64-year-old woman suffered smoke inhalation and burns after they tried to put the blaze out themselves, according to the FDNY. They were taken to New York Hospital.