Five Children Rescued From Fire At Brooklyn Apartment
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Five children, including a baby, were rescued from a fire that ripped through an apartment in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn on Sunday.
The fire broke out around 1 p.m. on 631 East 96th Street and Linden Boulevard in Brownsville.
By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were already roaring out the windows, trapping a young family on the floor above, CBS2's Diane Macedo reported.
Heath Murray says at some of the occupants who were trapped were his wife and children.
"I seen everybody looking down the block at the fire truck so I ran that way and called my wife and she said the whole building on fire," Murray said.
Rescue crews had two immediate battles on their hands: beat back the flames and rescue the family. While lives always come first, authorities explained that there was a wall of fire blocking their way.
Amazingly, crews were able to save a 2-month-old baby, a 2-year-old toddler, a 3-year-old, a 7-year-old, an 8-year-old, plus their mother and another adult. The young family was given oxygen at the scene, but did not suffer any injuries.
Murray says when he arrived his wife was still inside along with his five children ranging in age from 8 years old to just 2 months old
Officials faced challenges when they enetered the residence.
"These apartments they're very small apartments in these buildings so they usually have a lot of stuff in them so its very tough to operate once you get in there," Captain McAvoy said.
Still, firefighters managed to get everyone out safely, rushing Murray's wife and children into an ambulance and giving them oxygen.
"They came fast and got them out or else it could have been worse," Murray said. "Thank god that they came fast."
The wife and kids suffered smoke inhalation but area expected to be OK.
