Staten Island fire injures at least 34

NEW YORK, June 5 (UPI) -- A blaze at a multi-family apartment building in Staten Island early Thursday morning injured at least 34 people including civilians and firefighters.

FDNY officials said they responded to the fire on Chestnut Avenue in the Rosebank neighborhood at about 1 a.m. By the time they arrived at the scene "there was a tremendous amount of fire," and heavy smoke was billowing from the building's windows and roof.

Firefighters rescued residents by pulling ladders up to windows and helping people come out of the building's stairs. One worried father even threw his two children out the window -- after a man and woman told him they would catch them -- to save them from the flames. The children were safely caught by the couple.

Eleven of the 34 reported injured where civilians, six of whom were children, and the rest where city officials. While all victims are expected to survive one adult who suffered from cardiac issues is in serious condition.

The fire was eventually contained before 7 a.m. by the 200 firefighters at the scene.