NEW YORK – Five members of a Guatemalan family, including two children, died Saturday in a raging fire in Spring Valley, New York. In his memory, the community gathered Sunday with candles, flowers, praise and prayers at a vigil in his memory and to raise funds to help those injured.
Community members began donating from their vehicles on Sunday morning as dozens of families and friends flocked to the residence at 118 lake streetto accompany the mourners and those affected by the fire which occurred at 4 a.m. on Saturday and destroyed the house where two families lived.
Authorities said firefighters rushed to the two-level house, but heavy fire had already covered much of the structure. This prevented first responders from initially gaining access to the residence where several people were trapped inside, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said during a briefing.
It wasn’t until around 5 a.m. that firefighters were able to control the huge flames and begin search and rescue. Once inside, crews found three people on the second floor and two others on the first floor, who may have fallen from a partial collapse during the fire.
A cousin of one of the victims said a father managed to get his wife and daughter out of the burning house, but was unable to get out in time.
“He lost his life trying to save his son. His son was four years old,” the cousin said. “He was a hero. He saved his wife and baby.”
The relatives of the five dead, the youngest was only 4 years old according to the family, want to transfer the bodies to Guatemala.
In addition, five other people were injured, including a firefighter and another who jumped out of the window in desperation. The Red Cross, for its part, reports about ten displaced persons and the organization will provide them with emergency financial aid.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.