Adult, child killed in Hempstead apartment building fire
The fire broke out at an apartment building on Albemarle Avenue around 4:02 a.m.
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Fire officials say a 42-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy are dead after an early morning fire at a building on Albermarle Avenue in Hempstead.
Officials say the apartment did not have smoke detectors at the time of the fire.
The Nassau fire marshal says crews responded to the fire just past 4 a.m.
News 12 is told the fire started in the building's basement apartment, and that’s where officials say they found the man and boy.
Officials say the 42-year-old died at the scene and the 12-year-old was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Lissett Cruz says the adult victim is her husband Kenneth Roberts and the 12-year-old is her stepson Mekhi Roberts.
"He was autistic, he was 12, very loving, he loves video games, he was a good kid," Cruz said."My husband loved his son. He loved his family, he was a loving, honest person."
Officials say about 70 firefighters responded and had the fire under control in 90 minutes. They say 10 people are displaced and a dog was killed in the fire.
The Nassau chief fire marshal says the missing smoke detectors could have made a difference.
“Smoke detectors save lives, and maybe if they had been in place, we would've had a different outcome," said Michael Uttaro, Nassau County chief fire marshal."Fire inspectors were also on scene and they're going to be citing that owner for not having those life-saving devices in place."
The Nassau fire marshal says it does not appear to be suspicious.
