Summary: A fire in the Bronx that killed twelve was started by a toddler playing with his family’s kitchen stove, the NYFD said.
A deadly fire burned down an apartment building in the Bronx on Thursday, and on Friday, fire officials said that the tragedy was caused by a 3-year-old who was playing with the family’s stove.
“This is a terrible tragedy in the middle of the holidays. When people are trying to be with their families and have a moment of peace finally and having something like this happen to people in the Bronx is just horrible,” Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN Friday.
According to CNN, the boy played with the stove’s burner before he screamed when a fire erupted in the family’s first-floor apartment. His mother was alerted by his yelling and grabbed the boy and his sister. As she exited, she left the door open, which caused the flames to spread.
The kitchen fire ended up engulfing the entire building, and the stairway became “like a chimney” as the flames moved from the apartment upwards. At least 12 people died, including four children, and seven civilians and several firefighters were injured. According to CNN, it was the deadliest fire in the city in over 25 years.
“People were on the fire escape trying to get down on their own,” witness Kimberly Wilkins told CNN affiliate WCBS. “People were screaming.”
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said that the boy had a history of playing with the stove burners. He said that he was unsure if the building’s smoke detectors were working, and that records show that one of the apartment’s on the building’s first floor was reported as having defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It is unclear if those safety devices were fixed by Thursday.
Nigro added that it is crucial that in a case of fire to shut the door.
“Close the door, close the door, close the door,” Nigro said.
Those displaced by Thursday’s fire had the option of seeking shelter at a local school. CNN reported that on Friday, many local residents met at a nearby bodega to chat with neighbors and get a glimpse of the aftermath. The Red Cross and the NYFD set up a tent with fire education pamphlets next door.
The Bronx apartment building was a walk-up that contained 29 units. At least 12 people were rescued and are expected to survive.
“Disasters are traumatic even when there’s not a loss of life. But when you have this number of people pass as a result of a disaster like this, it’s heartbreaking,” The Red Cross’s Michael de Vulpillieres said to CNN.
Source: CNN