Family escapes, cat jumps out window during fire at Canarsie NYCHA complex
Citizen app video showed thick black smoke billowing from the second-floor windows at the Breukelen Houses on Flatlands Avenue.
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A family in Canarsie is without a home after a fire ripped through their NYCHA apartment on Wednesday.
Citizen app video showed thick black smoke billowing from the second-floor windows at the Breukelen Houses on Flatlands Avenue.
A mother, who asked not to be identified, told News 12 that it was a close call for her and four of her young children.
“We were almost trapped,” said the mother. “The door was almost jammed closed. We had to get the (expletive) out.”
The mother said their cat escaped safely by jumping out of the window.
The FDNY said the flames broke out around 4 p.m., and two people refused medical help.
“If I hadn’t gotten out sooner, I probably would’ve suffocated,” said Lavonia Sharp, who lives upstairs.
The mother said she spotted a spark in her living room.
“There was a spark yesterday,” said the unidentified mom. “I called the housing office. They said they just did an inspection. They didn’t see nothing.”
News 12 reached out to NYCHA for comment, but a spokesperson only referred to the FDNY.
“I told [NYCHA] something was wrong,” said the mother.
Making matters worse, the mother said the family just celebrated her son’s 11th birthday on Tuesday, and now they’re without a home.
