Brooklyn fire in East Flatbush injures six people, including mother and 2-year-old daughter: officials
COURTESY RICARDO WALLINGTON
A fire broke out inside a three-story multi-family home in East Flatbush about 9:15 a.m. Six people were injured, including a mother and daughter taken to the hospital.
A Brooklyn mother selflessly fought wind-whipped flames raging through her East Flatbush home Saturday morning to rescue her trapped 2-year-old daughter.
Six residents were injured in the 9:15 a.m. blaze inside the three-story multifamily home — including the mother and her daughter — after a frenzied search punctuated by the heroics of city firefighters and an off-duty cop.
“We saw flames shooting out from the second-floor window right here,” said neighbor Kwanza Butler, 39, who watched in horror as people ran from the burning building and a woman screamed from a top-floor window.
“There were people on the third floor yelling, ‘Help!’ At one point, this woman on the third-floor (fire escape) was almost engulfed in flames,” said Butler. “It just covered her. People came out with no clothes, no pants on.”
The 32-year-old mom was fighting for her life at Kings County Hospital after rushing into the burning building in search of her toddler, police and witnesses said.
DEBBIE EGAN-CHIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
The 32-year-old mother was fighting for her life at Kings County Hospital, while her daughter was also brought to the hospital, and is in serious but stable condition.
The woman’s daughter was in serious but stable condition at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center. Both suffered from smoke inhalation after being trapped by the flames, cops said.
Two other people were hospitalized with minor injuries and two refused medical attention.
The fire broke out inside the home on Clarendon Road near E. 32nd St. in East Flatbush about 9:15 a.m. Firefighters had the blaze under control at 9:38 a.m., officials said.
While the cause of the fire was under investigation late Saturday, sources said it was likely ignited by a cigarette.
“The lady came to the window and I told her to get out,” said neighbor Ricardo Wallington, 62. “The fire kept going. We went into the building, but the fire was too much. We couldn’t go up.”
The heart-wrenching cries for help had passerby Roseann Kim, 34, hoping for a miracle.
“So someone came out and said, ‘Somebody help me! Somebody help me!’ ” Kim said.
“She couldn’t get out from the fire escape. She was on the third floor and said, ‘Somebody help me, there’s a baby inside!’ I pray for those families.”
The fire broke out on Clarendon Rd. near E. 32nd St. in East Flatbush at a multi-family home.
Firefighter Mike Marchese, from Ladder 157, was able to rescue the mother, toddler and a third person from the third-floor apartment under heavy fire and smoke conditions, Battalion Chief Francis McCarthy said.
“It comes with the pros and the cons of the job,” a humble Marchese said. “Hopefully, everything works out from this.”
Meanwhile, off-duty cop Robert Stultz, 40, rushed door-to-door to warn neighbors about the blaze. “My neighbors were in trouble,” Stultz said. “I looked out the window. I saw smoke. I knocked on doors.”
“I just thought about my neighbors,” the selfless nine-year NYPD veteran said. “If something happens, I’m jumping in.”
The near-fatal fire occurred a week after seven children, the youngest 5, the oldest 16, were killed in a searing blaze that broke out in Midwood, Brooklyn. The March 21 fire was sparked by an unattended hot plate, officials said.
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