FDNY rescues 2 kids, in critical condition, from Brooklyn fire, officials say

Brooklyn firefighters teamed up to make a dramatic rescue early Thursday of two adults and two small children, who both suffered serious injuries, from a burning building in Borough Park, officials said.

FDNY units responded around 2:20 a.m. to find a fire with a heavy smoke condition in the basement of a two-story building on 64th Street.

Capt. Christopher Kane, a 21-year FDNY veteran with Ladder 149, told reporters in a telephone interview later Thursday that he and others entered through the side of the building, and as they moved forward, they found an unconscious 2-year old and an adult woman in one room. Firefighters cut window bars and passed the child and woman out, said Kane.

Probationary firefighter Domenic DiBiase, who had just six weeks on the job after graduating from the fire academy in April, told reporters he heard a man screaming that there was a child in another room with a bunk bed. DiBiase found a 6-year-old boy under the bed, picked him up and carried him through a window.

“I was prepared for it, but I didn’t think it would come this soon,” DiBiase told reporters of the rescue.

Another probationary firefighter, Christopher Rossi, also with six weeks on the job, helped pull the victims out to safety through the windows.

A FDNY spokeswoman said one of the children was listed Thursday in critical condition, with the other child in serious condition with life-threatening injuries.

The gender of the children wasn’t immediately available. The two adults had minor injuries, as did two firefighters, the spokeswoman said.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.