The space heater suspected of sparking Sunday’s deadly Bronx apartment building blaze had been left on for several days, FDNY sources said Tuesday.
The apartment where the fire started, killing at least 17 people and injuring dozens more, also had several space heaters, sources said.
Authorities have said the horrific blaze at 331 E. 181st St. originated with a space heater in unit 3N, sending deadly billowing smoke throughout the 19-story high-rise.
An official investigation into the blaze is ongoing.
Firefighters first responded to the six-alarm blaze shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday, with more than 200 firefighters dispatched.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Monday that smoke spewing out of a door left open in apartment 3N — and not flames — was responsible for the deaths and injuries.
Apartment doors in the building were built to be self-closing, at least partly to contain fires, but this one “malfunctioned,” Nigro said.
Mamadou Wague, the dad of the family in the apartment, told The Post on Monday that he believes he inadvertently pushed the door open too far, leading it to becoming stuck, while rescuing his daughter, who was burned and remained hospitalized.
Fire officials said eight of those killed in the building were children.
