Boy killed in Bronx fire was found in illegal basement unit, officials say
NEW YORK -- Violations were issued to the owner of the Bronx home where a 5-year-old boy died in a fire, CBS New York learned on Thursday.
The Department of Buildings inspected the three-story building and found three illegally constructed single occupancy rooms in the basement, where firefighters found the child, later identified at Kashmir Marquis.
"The child was found in the basement on a bed," said FDNY Deputy Chief Kenneth Scanlon. "It was a hard stretch, there was tight quarters."
Neighbors in the Williamsbridge section watched as people, including Marquis, were pulled out of 4011 Barnes Avenue after the fire broke out late Wednesday afternoon.
"They broke the window with a big ladder of the truck and they started pulling people out. But then I saw them when they brought the little kid out, he didn't look like he was doing too well," said David Hernandez.
"There was just a whole bunch of smoke billowing out, you know, out of the windows. I see them running, trying to bring the babies out," said Michelle Durrett.
Seventy-five firefighters and 10 EMS members responded. An 83-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, the FDNY said.
The Department on Buildings said people were living in the basement illegally and had no secondary means of getting out. A partial vacate order was issued for the basement.
The homeowner told CBS New York her grandson died in the fire and that she knew nothing about any rooms being illegal.
The Red Cross is helping those who were displaced.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.