NYPD officers working crowd control outside of an apartment building fire in the Bronx were attacked by residents as they tried to clear the area for firefighters Tuesday afternoon.
The fight between officers and residents started as crowds refused to make way as the officers demanded they move. Police say a 39-year-old woman ripped an officer’s body camera off and threw it to the ground, while another person threw a carton of milk at the officers before running off.
The woman who damaged the body cam was arrested and faced several charges including harassment and grand larceny, police told NBC. She has not been identified.
More than 100 firefighters were called to battle the flames shooting out of a sixth floor apartment kitchen. The fire broke out around 4:30 p.m., and neighbors used the fire escape to climb from the smoke-filled units to safety.
Five firefighters suffered minor injuries, most dealing with smoke inhalation.