Officials: Brooklyn fire that killed FDNY lieutenant caused by air conditioner cord
WILLIAMSBURG (WABC) -- Smoke inhalation and thermal burns caused the death of a New York City firefighter who perished in a cluttered high-rise apartment building in Brooklyn over the weekend.
Fire officials say the 40-year-old FDNY Lieutenant Gordon Ambelas FDNY veteran was overcome with smoke and flames while searching for possible victims in Williamsburg Saturday. They declined to detail what happened inside the apartment, citing the ongoing investigation, but it is said that heavy clutter and debris in apartments make searches difficult and dangerous.
The blaze reportedly started in a pinched electrical cord and has been ruled ruled accidental. The air conditioner cord was pinned between a bed frame and a wall in the 19th-floor Brooklyn apartment, where Ambelas became trapped, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a statement.
"Though the cause and origin of the fire has been determined, the Department's investigation remains ongoing," Nigro said
Experts say a pinched electrical cord can fray or otherwise become damaged enough to spark a fire if it's near combustible items, especially if heat builds up in a tight space.
The fire lit up the Independence Towers, bringing scores of firefighters to the scene.
"Ambelas went into the apartment to search for life and did not come out, and by the time his brother firefighters found him, it was too late for him," Nigro said.
Fellow firefighters found Ambelas unconscious and carried him out of the building. They worked with emergency rescuers to try to revive him, but he died at a hospital, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
"New York City and the FDNY suffered a terrible and tragic loss," he said.
Two other firefighters and two residents were treated for minor injuries.
Purple and black bunting hung from the firehouse, Ladder 119 and Engine Company 211, as firefighters embraced and wiped away tears and neighbors, grateful for the man they recently called a hero and stunned by his sudden death, stopped by to say farewell.
"Our department has suffered an incredible loss as one of our finest members and truly one of the best human beings that anyone would want to meet," firefighter Eric Bischoff said. "He died a hero, that's how he lived, truly one of the best human beings that anyone would ever want to meet."
Ambelas is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 5 and 8. Ambelas had been promoted to lieutenant 10 months ago. Throughout a 14-year career he helped the city through its darkest hours, including the recovery from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Superstorm Sandy.
His widow, Nannette, vented some of her grief on Facebook and wrote, "How do I say goodbye to you, Matt? You were my everything and the rock of this family. I want more time."
In May, months after a transfer to Williamsburg, Ambelas helped save 7-year-old Mendy Gotlieb, who became trapped in a roll-down gate. The boy was pulled 15 feet off the ground when his arm and head got stuck. Two weeks ago, the local Orthodox Jewish community honored Ambelas and his Ladder 119 comrades for their heroics.
"It just goes to show that the members of the fire department are always up for the challenge. It really doesn't matter, the type of run," Ambelas said back on June 26th, "It was definitely a different type of run, this isn't something you pull up to everyday."
The boy is being raised in the neighborhood's Satmar Hasidic Jewish community, and members of a local synagogue put up fliers mourning Ambelas' death on Sunday.
"The entire community's heartbroken and saddened," Rabbi Lieb Glanz said.
Mendy's family said in a statement that Ambelas was Mendy's "savior."
"He literally sacrificed his life for others," the family said. "I hope that his family finds solace in the many lives that are living on because of him. May his family have no more sorrow."
He was the first New York City firefighter killed on duty since April 2012.
A wake will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Casey McCallum Rice Funeral Home on Nelson Avenue in Staten Island. Visiting hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both days. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Clare's Church, also on Nelson Avenue.
HOW TO HELP:
A fund for the education of Lt. Ambelas' two young daughters, ages 8 and 5, has been established.
Donations can be mailed to:
The FDNY Foundation
9 MetroTech Center
Brooklyn NY 11201.
Checks should be made to the "Ambelas Children's Education Fund" and mailed to the address above.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story)
