NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Four people, family members, sufferend injuries from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in a three-family house at 83 Horton Avenue in New Rochelle. One person was in critical condition. All four were taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.
Among the injured were 2 adults and 2 children. A mother and daughter residing on the third floor were among them, said neighbors. The daughter is a student at New Rochelle High School, according to one resident. In all, twelve residents self-evacuated.
“We got a call at about 11:00 pm,” said NRFD Deputy Chief John Marshall.
The fire started on the second floor, according to residents. One resident told fire fighters he smelled smoke earlier but only called 911 after a smoke detector alarm went off at about 11:00 p.m The mother of a family of four on the second floor said she replaced the batteries in a smoke detector last month.
Members of the family on the second floor said they heard the smoke detector alarm and smelled smoke but did not see flames in the house. One of the two sons residing on the second floor told firefighters he saw flames out the window as he was leaving the building. A witness on the street said flames were shooting out of the side of the house towards 81 Horton Avenue.
“It started to auto-expose on this other house here,” said Deputy Chief Marshall, indicating 81 Horton Avenue, the house next door. “It was a concern of ours especially with the wind but that didn’t turn out to be a problem at all.”
Firefighters arrived quickly after receiving several calls. Initial reports were that people were trapped. Engine 23 was first one the scene. Firefighters did a survey and determined no one was trapped. Firefighters ran a line into the building and knocked down the flames within 10 minutes.
No firefighters were injured.
Fire investigators were on scene. Marshall said he did not think it was an electrical fire but did not want to speculate further until the investigation was complete.
Fire officials sealed up the building and allowed the residents to return to their homes.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Initial reports were that there 2 non-serious injuries. This report came from Deputy Chief Marshall as well as residents of 83 Horton Avenue. The story was later updated based on reports from BNN and News12 that there were 4 injuries not 2 and one person among them was in critical condition. We will continue to update the story as more information becomes available. Photo credit, the photos of the 2 injured persons courtesy of Gary Marks.