One Dead in 'Suspicious' 5-Alarm Fire on Spring Street,

One person was killed and nine people were hurt in a "suspicious" five-alarm fire on Spring Street Thursday evening, FDNY officials said.

The blaze broke out at 41 Spring St., a five-story building between Mulberry and Mott streets, about 6:40 p.m., an FDNY spokesman said.

The fire started on the second floor of the building — which has a Pinkberry frozen yogurt shop on the ground floor and eight apartments above — and it quickly spread both vertically and horizontally, FDNY officials said.

Flames shot from the windows as 200 firefighters raced to the scene to battle the blaze, and smoke clouded the air for blocks, witnesses said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene after being found on one of the upper floors, the FDNY said.

Nine other people, including seven firefighters, were taken to New York Downtown Hospital with minor injuries including smoke inhalation, the FDNY said.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control by about 9:20 p.m., a spokesman said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Both the FDNY and the NYPD were investigating after deeming the blaze suspicious, an FDNY spokesman said.

The fire was particularly heavy in the rear of the building, the FDNY said.

Robin Goldberg, who lives on Broome Street, heard the fire engines and then looked out her window to see the blaze.

"I saw flames shooting out of the top of the building," she said. "It was so intense."

On Thursday evening, Spring Street was closed between Lafayette and Elizabeth streets, and Mulberry Street was closed between Kenmare and East Houston streets, the city's Office of Emergency Management said.