The fire occurred in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx.
Transcript for Massive fire that killed 12 started by child playing with stove
Last night’s tragic fire. Other than 9/11 was the worst loss of life. Or city almost forty years were in the midst right now of the worst. One the loss of life and our city fire. In the past ten years. Twelve people tragically died here. Us seven women five men five children seven adults. Four other people remain hospitalized. With critical injuries and are seriously fighting for their lives right now. So this fire is. I said last night historic it certainly is an arson to have. A loss of life like this. Fire marshals have been here all night. Trying to determine the cause and they have determined that and we found that this fire started in the kitchen on the first floor. It started. From a young boy three and half years old playing with the burners on the stole. The fire got started the mother was not aware of it was alerted by the young and screaming. She exited her apartment. With these are two year old and three year old. Left to the world. So. This fire quickly spread up the stairs. Fire travels up the stairway acted like a chimney. It took the fire so quickly upstairs that people had very little time to react. They couldn’t get back down the stairs those that tried a few of them perished. Others escaped were helped out on to the fire escapes were taken down by all members this loss. Is unprecedented. It is the time a year where people celebrate and certainly here we have people who lost their lives lost their homes mostly. Most everything and we. We grieve with as everyone in this city should and does. This terrible time. Again the lessons here of you know children left unattended the mother was in the apartment but certainly not with. Close proximity to this young boy. How dangerous this can be. And also you’ve seen the ads you’ve seen the ads close the door close the door close the door if unfortunately. You do have a fire in your apartment. You must close the door when you exit. Because the results of you don’t know what happened here last night.
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