Two Years Later: Tragic Fire Wiped Out Family
FDNY leads lesson in fire safety at memorial
Saturday, Mar 7, 2009 | Updated 4:18 PM EDT
Firefighters stare into the flames of a blaze that killed 10 people in March 2007.
Two years to the day after an electrical fire wiped out 10 family members, firefighters are urging everyone to do what they can to prevent such tragedies from happening.
On March 7, 2007, nine children and one adult from the Magassa and Soumare families were killed when a three-alarm fire swept through their Bronx apartment. The fire could have been prevented.
Today, the community board held an information fair, safety event and memorial service. The Fire Department of New York had a strong presence at the event, which is part of Community Service Coordination Day.
Firefighters gave out batteries to attendees to refuel their smoke alarms in line with Daylight Savings Time. The FDNY Hazard House, an interactive house similar to a real New York City apartment that allows children to identify hazards, was on location, along with the FDNY mascot “Hot Dog the Fire Safety Dog.”
The fire department taught people in their native languages what they need to do to protect themselves at home. In addition, literature, fliers and door hangers were handed out. Mayor Michael Bloomberg was also at the event.
"Our hope is that the memory of this tragic incident can be used to save lives," said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. "It serves as a reminder to residents of this neighborhood and all New Yorkers of the importance of fire prevention and preparedness in the home."
