fire to hit the city in at least 25 years. the fire broke out last night, and witnesses say the fire engulfed the building within 45 minutes. four others are fighting for their lives. john schiumo is there, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. it's described as historic in its magnitude. 12 dead, four critically injured. the cause remains unknown. flames ripped through an apartment building in the bronx around 7:00 p.m. last night. based on the loss of life, it quickly became one of the most devastating fires in recent new york city history. >> this is the worst fire tragedy we have seen in this city in at least a quarter century. >> reporter: fire officials say it started on the first floor and quickly spread to all five flirs of the nearly 100-year-old building. windows on some of the top floors were smashed and blackened. firefighters responded within

three minutes. they immediately extended their ladders to help residents on every floor. witnesses say even before help arrived people inside were scrambling to climb down. >> they were trying to get everybody out, but people on the fire escape were already trying to get down on their own. that's how fast it was. >> reporter: complicating a rescue effort for more than 150 firefighters who responded, the weather. the weather at the time was in the low teens, single digits with the windchill. many of those who had to rush out of their homes were forced to flee without fully getting dressed. >> it was like freezing point. it was worse for people who weren't dressed appropriately, no shoes or any of that. >> reporter: the red cross responded with blankets. city buses were brought in to keep people warm. now, fire fatalities typically increase in december and january here in new york, the cold weather months. the fire departments warn residents about space heaters,

power strips, the use of candles, making sure they're not unattended. it's important to point out the exact cause of this fire remains unknown. brook? >> okay, john. but a good tip for everyone dealing with the cold in the next few days. thanks a lot. there was also a deadly fire in india this morning. it broke out at an upscale restaurant in dubai and spread to a nearby building. you can see the debris falling to the ground off the building. at least 15 people were killed, more than 50 taken to the hospital. there are reports an artificial bam boo-ceiling in the restaurant quickly burned and collapsed as people were trying to escape. here at home, the cold john was mentioning in new york city will continue to chill the entire upper northeast and the middle plains. it was so cold here in the city yesterday that water fountains closed. look at that. the cold air is pushing south. folks are being warned to watch

out for hypothermia and frostbite. temperatures in minneapolis are expected to top zero. it's so cold over in new jersey that officials actually canceled a new year's day polar bear plunge where swimmers normally dash into the ocean. not this year. chelsea ingram of our philadelphia station kyw has more. >> reporter: the bitter cold continuing to grip the region. the jet stream dipped well down to the south sending in pulse after pulse of the arctic air all the way through the year of 2017 and into the start of 2018. high temperatures today for many locations only in the 20s. for instance, st. louis, a high of 28. philadelphia, a high of 23 degrees. in places like boston, not even making it out of the teens as we head into the afternoon. it's not going to feel much better as we head into new year's eve with feels-like temperatures with the windchill. in new york, 5 below is what it will feel like.

11 below in chicago, and feeling like 24 degrees below zero in places like minneapolis. i'm meteorologist chelsea ingram for cbs news. well, not only will new year's revelers face harsh temperatures, they'll face heightened security here in new york city. the extra measures are already being put in place. tony dokoupil has our report. >> reporter: days before the ball drops in times square, security is already building up. new york police commissioner james o'neill. >> and the takeaway from our preparation is this, people will be safe, and they should feel safe too. >> reporter: to protect about a million revels in a city still shaken by a pipe bomb earlier this month and a deadly attack on halloween, the nypd is promising stepped up patrols, canine teams, and heavy weapons squads. the old barriers are back along with sand trucks to guard against the vehicle attack. but the nypd is putting on new focus with aerial security with

spotters on buildings and for the first time officers in hotels up and down the avenue to react with a sniper-style attack. three months after las vegas suffered the deadliest mass modern shooting in u.s. history, new york city has been designated a sear 1 threat, a designation typically reserved for political conventions and the super bowl. law enforcement is taking no chances, adding snipers and armed rapid response teams on top of 800 steel pylons. >> i'm very confident that we're making sure this new year's eve will be safe. >> reporter: other cities are beefing up too. chicago police are adding specialized teams with a focus on vehicle-style attacks. for the first time miami will conduct random security checks at its outdoor events. in san francisco, days after spoiling an alleged plan to attack the city's popular

tourist site, pier 39, police are beefing up security along the famed embarcadero. police promise more of a police presence. while any mass gathering is a potential target, no city has received information about a credible threat at this time. tony dokoupil, cbs news, new york. in a new interview president trump tells "the new york times" he doesn't know how long the special counsel's investigation into russian meddling will last. during that impromptu interview at his golf course in florida, mr. trump said he thinks bob mueller will be fair and everybody knows there was no collusion with his campaign. the president said he thought a prolonged investigation makes the country look back. on other issues mr. trump said he hopes democrats will work with him on health care, immigration, and infrastructure. chip reid has more on that. >> reporter: fixing the nation's deteriorating infrastructure appears to be at the top of the

president's agenda for next year. republicans and democrats, we're going to have tremendous infrastructure -- >> reporter: in fact, it's not that simple. democrats want to spend $1 trillion on the program. many republicans want to spend one-fifth of that, $200 billion. democrats say it will never work. reaching a compromise in an election year when the two sides are that far apart will not be easy. also high on both parties' agendas, finding a way to allow nearly 800 thousand so-called d.r.e.a.m.ers, people who were brought to the u.s. as children, to remain here permanently. a law that prevents deportation expires in march. they say it's imperative.

>> they're americans in every single important way except one, their paperwork. >> reporter: the president has made his feelings clear. >> i have a love for these people. hopefully congress can help tie things up. >> reporter: another key issue, funding a federal government. republicans and democrats need to reach a deal by january 19th or risk a partial government shutdown. and a long festering issue, obamacare. the tax bill the president signed last week ends the individual mandate. >> it ultimately leads to the end of obamacare. >> reporter: but that's far from clear. and in a tweet this week the president predicted that democrats and republicans will eventually come together and develop a great new health care plan. the president and congress will have to move quickly if they hope to compromise on any of these issues because it won't be long before they move into full battle mode in preparation for the midterm elections. chip reid, cbs news, west palm beach, florida. and ahead on "cbs this morning," chip will have much more on the president's wide-ranging interview with "the new york times."

doug jones will be sworn in as alabama's first democratic u.s. senator in a quarter century on january 3rd. jones was officially declared the winner yesterday. a court rejected moore's lawsuit claiming fraud. moore has repeatedly denied accusations of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls decades ago. senator al franken of minnesota will step down tuesday. this is following a string of allegations of sexual misconduct. last night he thanked supporters in minneapolis. >> here's my promise to you. i may be leaving the senate, but i'm not giving up my voice. >> reporter: franken who was a comedian in his former life said he didn't know what to expect but that serving minnesota has been the honor of his life. apple said it's cutting the price of replacement batteries after it admitted to secretly slowing old iphones to protect the battery life.

starting next month, the price of a replacement battery will drop from $79 to $29. apple will also issue software that will let their customers know if their battery is healthy. it denied it tried to shorten iphone's life to try to lengthen the upgrade. copycat cop, a man impersonating a police officer is caught on camera. and a chance to howl at the moon. there will be something special in the sky on new year's. this is the "cbs morning news." howl at the moon. there will be something special in the sky on new year's. this is the "cbs morning news." only florida's natural grows all of our oranges in florida. great taste. naturally. this holiday season... give the gift of effortlessly smooth feet... from amope. amope pedi perfect with diamond crystals. removes rough, hard skin effortlessly... for touchably smooth feet. salon quality results you can see... and feel immediately.

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the cuffs once he let the man go. he called the real ones and the fake one was arrested. new year's day and an escalator fall. those are some of the headlines on the morning newsstand today. spokane, washington's "spokesman review" says alaskan airlines is being sued for wrongful death after an elderly woman fell down an escalator. video shows 79-year-old bernice kekona fell down the escalator in her wheelchair as witnesses rushed to rescue her. she died from her injuries three months later. they didn't check boxes on the form to show she needed special services. the "los angeles times" reports the death of rose marie. she played the wise-cracking sally rogers on the show. she went on to become a regular on the "hollywood squares."

her show business career started as a child star in vaudeville. rose marie died at her home in los angeles. she was 94. and "the times-picayune" in new orleans says a super moon will grace the skies. it's a full moon at its closest point to earth and can appear up to 30% bigger than a fallen moon. january's first full moon is nicknamed the wolf moon. there's two super moons. see, there's so many of these. this month the second one will be january 31st. there will also be a lunar eclipse at that point. and still to come, uber's stock sail. the ride-hailing company reaches a major investment deal. the #1 shave in america. now get gillette quality at lower prices -- every day. brought to you by 1200 workers in boston -- we're proud of giving you our best. gillette. the best a man can get.

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reduce hunger, help control cravings with contrave. now you an talk to a doctor online and get free shipping at getcontravenow.com. here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. on the "cbs moneywatch" this morning, uber's stock sale. hena doba is at the new york stock exchange with that and more. good morning, hena. >> good morning, brook. the dow opened the final day of trading in 2017 at a record high. overall the market registered a modest gain led by financial stocks. they benefitted from rising bond yields, which helps banks charge higher interest rates on loans. the dow jones gained 63

points. it's the first time it closed at a record high. the s&p 500 finished nearly 5 points higher, and the nasdaq added 10 points yesterday. the japanese technology conglomerate softbank acquired a large stake in the ride-hailing company uber. softbank acquired 15% of uber. others reportedly got about 3%. its influence, former ceo and founder, travis kalanick. brook. >> hena doba at the new york stock exchange. thanks, hena. coming up, relief for parkinson's. we'll show you how this game could be helping patients with the disorder. for a visibly whiter smile. ten four shades trust your smile to colgate optic white.

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good morning. it's friday, december 29th. here's another look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. about 60,000 people are diagnosed with parkinson's

disease each year in the u.s. and now there's a new way that might help people suffering from parkinson's, playing ping-pong. laura podesta explained. >> reporter: this group meets every week for table tennis. the players have parkinson's disease, a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, causing symptoms such as tremors. >> when did you know that things were changed? >> in 2010 my right hand started to shake a little bit. >> reporter: nenad bach is a musician and composer. he found that ping-pong helped after he was unable to play his music. dr. david russell says the rhythm and balance involved in the game could be beneficial. >> he clearly got better when he really kind of delved into ping-pong, and it's something we should look at the way we look very scientifical lally like tai

and tango dance, that this would be an area we would be exploring. >> reporter: he's not sure the game is helping his symptoms, but the comradery is lifting his spirits. he's not giving up hope for a cure. >> i think the best is yet to come. ♪ everything is forever note. >> reporter: laura podesta, cbs news, pleasantville, new york. coming up on "cbs this morning," we've got your reservation for a secret restaurant that's the hardest to get into in new york city but it's located at a very unlikely place, newark airport. i'm brook silva-braga. this is the "cbs morning news." who wants a taco? i want one! me!

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our top stories this morning, at least 12 people were killed in a massive apartment fire in new york city. four others are fighting for their lives. the fire broke out last night on the first floor and engulfed the building within minutes. it's the deadliest fire in new york city in at least a quarter century. and in new york as well as elsewhere around the country, tightened security ahead of new year's eve celebrations. police have positioned concrete barriers, sand trucks, canine teams, and heavy weapons squads. other cities like las vegas and chicago are also beefing up security. airlines are now testing new technology to improve security and speed up the boarding process. soon you may have to show only your face to board a plane. kris van cleave has those details. >> you can board without presenting your boarding pass, passport, or other documents.

>> reporter: this plane has passengers taking a trip to the future without a boarding pass. >> you're going to walk up and take a picture and that's it? wow. it amazes me. every year things change. it just amazes me the technology. >> reporter: in seconds facial recognition technology can take a picture and compare it to a passport stored in the government database. francis sadowski is sold. >> reporter: delta is testing the technology in new york and atlanta and is also trying out a recognition bag drop in minneapolis, part of larger effort that envisions your face and fingerprint as the only thing you'll need to navigate an airport. >> marrying all the steps is a game-changer for the experience. you can retrieve your luggage from the curb to the plane without having to interact with a human being if you so desire.

>> reporter: there's also a clear, a private company, that will store and verify a flyer's biometrics. two senators are asking customs a new report questions if it's legal for the government to release facial recognition on american citizens, and two senators are asking customs and border protection to halt the expansion as they look into security concerns. >> we use it more and more, those databases will become targets and the risk of data breach increases greatly. >> reporter: the tsa is testing fingerprint verification. here at delta they can use their fingerprint as a boarding pass. kris van cleave, cbs news, virginia. coming up on "cbs this morning," thousands of dug-related cases in massachusetts might be dismissed because of mavis lab testing scandal. we'll have details. plus fake makeup found online and on the street corner can have very real health consequences for customers we purchased the products under

cover before sending them to a lab for testing. the results ahead. and your reservations for a secret restaurant that's one of the hardest to get into in the new york area, and it's located in an unlikely place. that's the "cbs morning news" for this friday. i'm brook silva-braga. thanks for watching. have a great day and a great weekend. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com ay and a great weekend. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

it's friday, december 29th. i'm kenny choi. a live look outside at the city of san francisco. are you feeling that lack of sleep? we feel ya, we're working and we're getting ready for the weekend. good morning, thanks for waking up us. it's friday, december 29th. i'm kenny choi. >> i'm anne makovec in for michelle. it's another holiday weekend. we have traffic and weather. >> it's going to be nice.

it's going to be a beautiful holiday weekend. it's beautiful right now. there are a few high clouds out there. temperatures milder than yesterday so not nearly as chilly as earlier. the warmest day of the week, oakland 49. 50 san francisco. still in the 30s though in the north bay. 35 degrees in santa rosa. but yeah, it's going to be a beautiful holiday weekend and i'll tell you about that. you have to come back later for that. >> will do. >> gianna? >> i promise we will. westbound 80 at hilltop drive an accident was reported a couple of minutes ago from chp. good news is, tow crews arrived quickly. we are seeing slight delays westbound so heads up. but looks like it will be cleared in a few