A woman and a 17-year-old girl died and three children are left fighting for their lives after a fast-moving overnight fire in Brooklyn that police say may not have been an accident.
People living along the 100 block of Fountain Avenue in East New York woke up to the sound of screams and the smell of smoke taking over a three-story home just after 2 a.m. The fire had engulfed the home after starting at the front door and quickly extending up the stairs to the second level, fire officials said.
Firefighters raced to the scene, arriving in less than three minutes, but a car parked in front of a fire hydrant cost crews precious minutes, as the victims were trapped inside by the flames.
Two of those who were inside, the teenage girl and a 36-year-old woman, died as a result of the fire, officials said. Three children — ages 9, 10 and 14 — were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. They continue to cling to life as of Tuesday night.
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Another man was sent to a Long Island hospital with serious injuries. It's believed the victims were related, though their identities have not been released.
"Anytime you see, you know, a whole family like this together, this time of the night, I mean, with a fire ... the emotions outside," Assistant FDNY Chief Chuck Downey said at a news briefing. "It's very emotional."
Neighbors said the family who lived there, originally from Yemen, was a pillar in the community.
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"The family is well known throughout the community, they speak to everybody, they wave," said LaShanna Bray. "I can’t see anybody that would want to harm them. Like I said, they’re a pillar of the community, they’ve been here for 10 years."
Investigators said that the fire may have been intentionally set, as some sort of accelerant was found inside the home. While it wasn't clear what the accelerant exactly was, investigators combed the home and dug through garbage cans for evidence, even bringing in a dog who can sniff out traces of accelerants.
Sixty firefighters responded to the blaze, one of whom suffered a minor injury, officials say. Video from the scene showed the charred remnants of the building and an army of emergency responders in the area. A crime scene tent was also seen being erected outside the destroyed structure early Tuesday.
The investigation is ongoing.
