Teen brother and sister killed in Westchester County house fire
Two teens died after an overnight electrical fire in Westchester County.
The raging fire gutted a home and shattered a family. A 17-year-old girl was killed, and her 15-year-old brother died a short time later after suffering critical injuries.
Power strip sparked fire, officials say
The fire broke out at the home on Sherwood Road in Cortlandt Manor at around 2 a.m. Wednesday, fire officials said.
Desperate efforts were made to rescue the people in the home. Neighbors ran over with a ladder. Responding firefighters found both doors to the home blocked by fire, but they were able to make rescues through the windows.
"Fire and extreme heat and zero visibility, meaning smoke all the way down from the ceiling to the floor. Very high levels of heat. The door to the first bedroom was open, so the fire had already entered that first bedroom," Lake Mohegan Fire Chief Thomas Eade said.
Two teens inside the home, a 15-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl, were pulled out in critical condition, having suffered extensive burn injuries. Both eventually succumbed to their injuries. The family's pet dog was also killed.
Their mother was also injured in the fire but is expected to survive. Another adult and a firefighter were also injured.
There were other people in the home at the time of the fire.
The fire began when a power strip connected to an extension cord in the dining room failed, according to a preliminary investigation. The fire quickly spread through the raised ranch home.
Investigators are focusing on a melted extension cord and power strip they found.
Officials say the home had smoke detectors, which woke up the mother. The father, Gregory Toone, is a county corrections officer and was at work when the fire erupted.
Community mourning
Friends identified the teenagers who died as Alina and Jeremiah Toone.
"He was a kind person, you know," friend Karen Otavalo said. "Out of everybody that I knew, he was a kind person."
One of the young survivors returned to the scene Wednesday morning to take another look at the gutted home. Late Wednesday, classmates of the teens who died left flowers and stuffed animals at the scene.
Neighbors expressed shock and disbelief.
"The thought was, oh my God, is everybody OK? And then this morning... It's just terrible," neighbor Jean Guardino said. "I've lived on this road for 51 years ... Nothing like this ever happened here before."
"I just can't even imagine what the parents are going through. My heart goes out to them," neighbor Corryn Fisco said. "You just got to hug your kids tight, you know? You just have to like take care of your family and love them."
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said she was heartbroken to hear about the incident.
"This unbelievable tragedy is every parent's worst nightmare. Mr. Toone and his family remain in our thoughts during this extremely difficult time, and I pray for the recovery of his beloved wife, Yenny," she said in a statement.
County officials and the Putnam Valley District said they will do all they can to support the family at this terrible time.
