By Sarina Trangle
The FDNY and city Department of Investigation are investigating why it took nearly 10 minutes for an ambulance to be dispatched to a blaze that claimed two 4-year-olds’ lives once firefighters arrived at the Far Rockaway fire this weekend and verified the emergency.
The Fire Department said it received a call about a blaze at 10-31 Bay 30th St. at 11:51 p.m. Saturday and firefighters arrived at the two-story brick home at 11:56 p.m.
The FDNY would not disclose exactly when firefighters confirmed the emergency, but the department said EMS was notified at 12:05 a.m. Sunday and responded by 12:12 a.m. The city does not typically dispatch ambulances until firefighters arrive on scene and determine reports of flames are accurate.
Both the Fire Department and city Department of Investigation said they are examining the city’s response to the fire.
Neighbors said they heard firefighters cursing about how long it was taking EMTs to arrive as they performed CPR on two children on the front lawn.
The Police Department said Jai’Launi and Aniya Tinglin both succumbed to injuries from the blaze that broke out in the basement of their grandfather’s home. FDNY marshals have since ruled the blaze an accident and determined it was sparked by a child playing with fire, the FDNY said.
The Far Rockaway block spent Easter Sunday mourning the deaths of the 4-year-old half-siblings.
Elisa De Jesus, who lived nearby, said the two children were often out in the yard playing under the watchful eye of their grandfather, who many know because he spends a significant amount of time tending to his lawn.
“They’re babies,” she said, while carrying two teddy bears to add to makeshift memorial with a red stuffed animal and flowers near a small tree in the front yard of the family’s home.
“You see it in the news all the time and it breaks your heart, but for it to happen so close to home and you know the family,” De Jesus said, trailing off as she shook her head.
A 4-year-old twin of one of the victims, the 63-year-old grandfather and an unrelated 55-year-old who lived in the house were all taken to the hospital and listed in stable condition, the NYPD said. A firefighter was also hospitalized to be treated for minor, non-life-threatening injuries, the Fire Department said.
Ryan Raj, who lives on the block, said he came out when the sirens started wailing. He and other neighbors restrained the grandfather, known as “Pops,” after he carried out one of the kids and wanted to return for the others.
Raj said firefighters had determined it was too dangerous for him to go back in the home.
“His fingertips was burnt, burnt to the white. He was really trying to save them,” Raj said of the unidentified grandfather.
He said firefighters were complaining about how long it took for EMS to get to the fire and his aunt had almost driven the injured grandfather to the hospital before a voluntary Jewish ambulance crew stepped in. He noted that some ambulances had already departed to take other victims to the hospital at that point.
Raj said the last thing Pops asked him was how the two children were faring, and he left for the hospital thinking they were still alive.
“He kept asking, asking about the kids,” Raj said.
Other neighbors said they saw emergency personnel carry the two 4-year-olds onto the lawn and perform CPR and other medical work on them for close to 25 minutes.
“They carried both the babies dead right in front of us,” said Megan Malonuy.
The deaths spurred City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), chairwoman of the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice, to call for changing the FDNY’s policy of waiting until firefighters confirm an emergency before sending an ambulance to the scene.
“In the case of any fire, emergency medical services and fire suppression units must both be dispatched at the same time — even if that means expanding FDNY and EMS resources to meet our city’s needs,” Crowley said in a statement.
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.
