Photos of 7-year-old Christopher Miller, who was killed after a fire burned a home in Queens.
A 7-year-old died during his struggle to escape from the second floor of his burning home in East Elmhurst, Queens early Wednesday morning, fire officials said.
“He was on his way out, but he just couldn’t make it, too much smoke at the time,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Mark Ferran. “There was so much fire when we got here that there was nothing we could do.”
Christopher Miller, 7, perished while trying to escape the raging inferno on 90th St. just after 9 a.m., fire and police officials said.
His brother, identified by neighbors as Matthew, suffered second-degree burns on his arms and hands and was rushed to Cornell Medical Center.
Neighbor Marie Bouzy, a psychology technician, said she ran to try to rescue the children but couldn’t.
“There was a lot of smoke and glass coming out. It was too much,” she said. “I heard screaming, like children screaming. Then it stopped and I didn’t hear it anymore.”
Andrew Schwartz for New York Daily News
Firefighters respond to the scene of a fire in Elmhurst Wednesday morning.
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Fire officials on the scene said the family had two 20-year-olds vising them from out of town and that the duo lit the fireplace on the first floor to keep warm.
Then they fell asleep, Ferran said.
“But the fire spread across the fire place,” he said. “It caught into Christmas decorations, couches and other furnishings.”
The commotion woke the children, who were sleeping upstairs, he said, and they both headed for the first floor, where the fire was raging.
The two visitors guided the 12-year-old out through a back entrance. The children’s grandfather, who had been asleep in the basement, also got out, officials said.
Andrew Schwartz for New York Daily News
The fire — the aftermath of which is seen above — killed a 7-year-old boy and badly burned his brother.
The two visitors may have tried to put out the fire and delayed calling 911, Ferran said.
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“By the time they called, we arrived to an advanced fire,” Ferran said.
Rescuers were unable to find any smoke detectors.
The parents, who were at a New Year’s Eve party, arrived home to find their home in embers, neighbors said.
“They were out at a New Year’s Eve party when they got home and learned their child was dead,” said neighbor Victor Carrera, 69. “It’s horrible.”
Fire officials said the mother, identified by neighbors as Natalia, had to be taken away by paramedics because she was hysterical.
An older man, who neighbors identified as the boys’ grandfather, surveyed the home while crying. He yelled to the neighbors: “The house burned down!”
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