At least one dead after Trump Tower fire

At least one dead after Trump Tower fire

THE man who died after a fire broke out on the 50th floor of Trump Tower, the Manhattan headquarters of US President Donald Trump, has been identified as a 67-year-old art dealer who liked the finer things in life.

According to the New York Post, Todd Brassner purchased his high-rise apartment back in 1996.

“He was a lovely man. He couldn’t have been nicer,” said real-estate broker Dolly Lenz, who sold him the apartment. “He was soft spoken but strong willed and opinionated when he was talking about art. He knew his stuff and he wanted you to know it too. He was very pleasant to be with.”

But Mr Brassner struggled financially in recent years and filed for bankruptcy, according to court records.

“He liked fine dining and the best things in life and I think his expenses got ahead of him,” a friend of his told The Post.

Mr Brassner’s family had supported him financially for years, but debt and failing health plagued him in recent years.

“The Debtor [is] an art collector/dealer. He has bought and sold art his entire adult life,” according to his bankruptcy filing.

“His family is wealthy. Until the end of 2014, his family helped him pursue this passion. But their support was limited.”

The bankruptcy filing noted that for the past few years “he has been plagued with debilitating medical problems that have made it difficult for him to function.”

Mr Brassner’s apartment and art collection turned out to be valuable nest eggs, the court filing showed: “The apartment is worth multiples of the secured debt against it.’’

It added his father had left Mr Brassner a “substantial inheritance.’’

The blaze erupted on the 50th floor of the building, located on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in New York City.

Mr Brassner died from his injuries after being taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in a critical condition.

Nearly 200 firefighters and 50 members of the FDNY’s Emergency Medical Service responded, officials said.

First responders performed CPR on resident Todd Brassner, 67, before he was rushed to Mount Sinai West Hospital, where he died.

There are no sprinklers in residential sections of the 58-story building, but they’re not required by law in structures of that age. Trump Tower opened in 1983.

In a media conference, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said “the apartment was virtually, entirely on fire” when they arrived.

Melania Trump and the couple’s son, Barron Trump, are both in Washington, D.C., according to the first lady’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham.

The US President is also at the White House.

President Trump tweeted at 6.43pm local time that the fire had been extinguished.

Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2018

Mr Trump’s son Eric also took to Twitter to thank the emergency services.

Thank you to the amazing men and women of the NYFD who extinguished a fire in a residential apartment at @TrumpTower. The @FDNY and @NYPD are truly some of the most incredible people anywhere! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) April 7, 2018

Mr Trump has not commented on the fatality, instead tweeting about political matters.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and is republished with permission.