Bronx fire: 17 killed, including eight children identified | New York

The 17 victims who died in the tragedy of an apartment fire in New York on Sunday have been identified, with a devastating number including eight children.

The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office reported that all of the victims died from smoke inhalation and their deaths had been ruled accidental.

Firefighters determined that a malfunctioning electric heater started the fire in the 19-story building in the Bronx on Sunday morning in freezing weather. Meanwhile, businesses associated with owning the building and city authorities have been accused by tenants of neglecting vital security measures for years.

Although the flames damaged only a small part of the building, smoke billowed through the open doors of an apartment on the 15th floor and turned the stairs, the only way to escape from a building considered too tall for the escape stairs of external fires, in dark and suffocating death traps.

According to New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, some were unable to escape due to smoke. Others were left incapacitated while trying to escape, as more than 200 firefighters struggled to knock residents down the fire department stairs or down the stairs.

Survivors described the terrible scene, and one compared it to “a war zone.”

Eight of the deaths were children, including a two-year-old boy. The police have revealed their identities.

The victims included seven women, Fatoumata Drammeh, 50, Foutmala Drammeh, 21, Nyumaaisha Drammeh, 19, Haja Dukureh, 37, Sera Janneh, 27, Fatoumata Tunkara, 43, and Isatou Jabbie, 31; two men, Haji Dukary, 49, and Hagi Jawara, 47; five children, Muhammed Drammeh, 12, Mustapha Dukureh, 12, Seydou Toure, 12, Omar Jambang, six, and the youngest victim of the fire, Ousmane Konteh, two; and three girls, Fatoumata Dukureh, five, Mariam Dukureh, 11, and Haouwa Mahamadou, five.

Dozens more residents have been hospitalized and at least 13 remained in critical condition Wednesday morning.

Additionally, the first court action regarding the tragedy was initiated when tenants filed a $ 3 billion class action lawsuit. lawsuit against the previous and current owners of the building.

The lawsuit filed this Tuesday by the married couple Rosa Reyes and Félix Martínez, both tenants of the property, alleges that the owners “had actual notice of defective conditions.” The couple are seeking $ 1 billion in compensatory damages for alleged negligence and an additional $ 2 billion in punitive damages on their behalf and “everyone else in similar situations.”

Another plaintiff, Jessika Valdez, He said The New York Post that the door to her 18th floor apartment “never closed on its own” during the 15 years she has lived there.

“We always had to shut it down,” Valdez said, adding, “If you rent to me, it’s okay if you don’t have an emotional bond with me, but you have to protect your investment. I am your investment.

Also, a separate claim notice was filed against New York City and various entities, including the Department of Buildings, the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, former Mayor Bill de Blasio and Housing Commissioner Melanie La Rocca.

The notice, which seeks $ 1 billion for each of those who joined the planned class action case, says that the locking devices, or “returns,” on self-closing apartment doors “rust with the timing and the springs on the door returns must be replaced. ” every time”.

He went on to claim that city officials “failed in every way” to prevent the tragedy.

The notice details more than two dozen complaints and violations. aforementioned against the building since 2014.

According to records, the citations include vermin infestations and faulty elevators, despite $ 25 million in state loans for repairs. Authorities have been accused of knowing about the flaws for years and talking lip-service about safety issues.

According to Nigro, the building doors and reports of malfunctioning smoke alarms will be a key point of the investigation.

The New York City Legal Department has issued a answer to the lawsuits, saying: “This was a horrible tragedy and too many lives were lost. There is an active investigation into this tragic incident. We will review the claim. “

Similarly, Bronx Park Phase II Preservation, LLC, a consortium of homeowners, said: “We are devastated by this terrible tragedy and we are cooperating fully with the fire department and other agencies as they continue to investigate.”