A devastating fire swept through a three-story brick home in the Bronx late Wednesday, killing eight children and one adult and leaving several others seriously injured in one of New York City’s deadliest blazes in recent memory, authorities said.
Witnesses described a ghastly sight of seeing a woman hurl children through broken windows in hopes of saving the kids from the raging inferno.
Fire Department spokesman Seth Andrews confirmed the death toll early Thursday. Investigators were at the scene trying to determine the cause, which was not immediately known.
At least 10 people were injured, five of them seriously. Four firefighters and one other emergency worker were hospitalized with minor injuries.
Michael Heller, spokesman at Jacobi Medical Center, said five children ranging in age from 2 to 6 were taken to the Bronx hospital. They are suffering smoke inhalation and burns, and three are in critical condition.
Heller said one of the victims, an infant less than a year old, died at Jacobi.
Errol Schneer, a spokesperson at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, said three victims were taken to the hospital, all of whom were dead on arrival. They included a woman in her 40s and two boys ages 4 and 9.
The fire was reported shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday and was extinguished shortly after 1AM. The home is just a few blocks away from Yankee Stadium.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
This was not the worst fire.The worst fire in recent memory was the Fire at the Happyland social club in the bronx where over 80 people died.
Worst “residential” fire.
Thanks for clearing that up.
NEW YORK — Screams poured from the burning building along with smoke and flames: “Help me! Help me! Please! Please!” Bystanders looked up to see a woman toss her children out the window one at a time to those below.
The scene unfolded early Thursday during New York’s deadliest fire in nearly two decades — a blaze that killed eight children and one adult, all African immigrants who shared a row house near Yankee Stadium.
nebach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!