Three young kids sustained severe injuries and ten firefighters were sent to a nearby hospital after two separate incidents of massive fire on the same day in Brooklyn, New York. The incident took place after an apartment on the eleventh floor caught fire at 11 AM on Sunday morning on Livonia Avenue near Sackman Street in Brownsville, said officials. Later, all the children, who were critically hurt and the firefighters were sent to a nearby hospital for their treatment, city officials said. The children, aged four, five and eight, were hospitalised in stable-but-critical conditions after the blaze.
The entire home caught fire after a massive blaze engulfed an entire borough block. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said they have arrested the parents of the kids trapped alone inside the apartment during the fire in connection with the incident.
She was quoted as saying by New York Post, “The circumstances are under investigation as to why they were home alone.” Kavanagh also noted that the apartment had no smoke alarms.
The police charged the 37-year-old Anthony Halliburton, father of the kids, with three counts each of abandonment of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
Meanwhile, in another incident, several stores caught fire in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, New York City. The incident took place at the popular Grill on Lee. A user on X posted a video, in which he said two firefighters were injured battling the fire that engulfed seven stores on Lee Avenue and Williamsburg Street West.
In the video posted by him, a massive plume of smoke was seen in the sky. Commenting on the matter, Kavanagh said that everyone is stable currently and things are going to be okay soon.
Speaking on both fire incidents, she said, “These are both incredibly difficult jobs.”
She was also quoted as saying in New York Post: “It is a long, hot day, and our thoughts and prayers are both with the parents of these children – as well as thanks to our members for this incredibly difficult work today.” Notably, the fire was brought under by around 4:30 PM.