New York, Aug 21 (IANS): Three young kids were seriously hurt after a fire broke out in a Brooklyn apartment, while about eight km away in a separate five-alarm blaze, 10 crew members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) were also injured and have been hospitalised. 

Three young kids were reportedly alone in the home when the fire erupted.

The children -- ages four, five and eight -- were hospitalised in stable-but-critical condition after the blaze that broke out at about 11 a.m. Sunday on the 11th floor of an apartment building on Livonia Avenue near Sackman Street in Brownsville, New York Post reported, citing FDNY officials.

Authorities found the parents and arrested the father, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said at an afternoon press briefing.

"The circumstances are under investigation as to why they were home alone," she said, adding that the apartment had no smoke alarms.

In the second incident, a five-alarm fire broke out in a cluster of nine stores just before the noon.

Kavanagh said that fire and EMS crews responded to reports of a fire at 106 Lee Ave. in Brooklyn within four minutes, adding that 10 crew members were injured during the inferno that burned several businesses.

The conditions of all 10 crew members are said to be stable.