By Jeremy Walsh
A firefighter and three other occupants of the house, including the girl's mother and brother, were also injured, FDNY officials said.Firefighters received the call at 12:45 a.m. Some 12 units and 60 firefighters responded to the two-story brick home on 131st Street, but reportedly found the fire difficult to extinguish. The blaze was brought under control at 2:10 a.m., fire officials said. The cause was still under investigation.The home was described by a fire official as a “Collyer's mansion,” a term that refers to any residence jammed with overflowing clutter and possessions.The fence in front of the home was filled Sunday with the condolences of neighbors and a memorial to Brittany.Flowers and balloons hung from the fence, while the sidewalk below was marked with lit candles and stuffed animals.”I didn't know them all that well – just to say hello on the street,” said neighbor Joey Ally, 45, who stopped by the home Sunday to leave a card. “They were nice people.”Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
