Families practice fire safety 2 years after deadly Twin Parks fire
NEW YORK -- Tuesday marks two years since one of the deadliest fires in New York City in decades. Seventeen people from the West African community in the Bronx were killed in the fire.
The fire sparked a new set of safety laws when it comes to self-closing doors and space heaters.
"I thought I was going to lose myself, or my family," said Stephan Beauvogui.
The traumatic moments of Jan. 9, 2022, are forever in the minds of Beauvogui and his family.
"If I'm walking or I'm driving when I pass in front of Twin Towers," Beauvogui said. "I will just be thinking that."
Beauvogui, his wife, and two young children managed to escape their apartment when fire erupted at Twin Parks Northwest in Fordham Heights. The fire killed 17 people, including eight children.
"The whole entire hallway, you can't see nowhere," Beauvogui explained. "I was bleeding from my ... teeth."
Officials determined the cause to be a malfunctioning space heater, but faulty self-closing doors caused smoke to spread rapidly throughout the building. All the victims were of West African descent and died from smoke inhalation.
"These are the people that we serve in our food pantry program, the population is from that building," said Momadu Sawaneh, of the Gambian Youth Organization.
Groups like Gambian Youth Organization sprang into action when tragedy struck helping displaced residents and raising $1 million for those in need. Other local organizations say they saw a need in this community when it came to fire safety training.
Although the fear of fire lives with the Beauvogui family, Baba Inc. is providing them training so they have an escape plan.
"Our community, we are West African and we're Muslim," said Abdoulaye Cisse, of Baba Inc. "Sometimes we don't have the same support as traditional Americans do."
The Beauvogui family now lives in a brand new apartment. But the memories of the lives lost, always stays with them.
"This family's story -- they just skirted death. All these beautiful people ... might not have been here with us if they took a wrong turn," said Nova Felder, of Baba Inc.
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