A fire in a house in New York caused wedding guests to jump out of windows to escape

The bride and her 6-year-old niece were among two dozen people injured in a house fire in Elmhurst, Queens. Due to the fire that broke out on the morning of August 22, the guests of the wedding celebration jumped out of the windows, saving their lives, reports New York Post.

“People could not get out of the windows of the lower floors because of the bars. They jumped through a window on the top floor, ”said 15-year-old Mike Paucar, who lives next door.

A fire broke out at 7-44 Hampton Street, according to FDNY. As a result of the incident, 41 residents and a guest of the house and one firefighter were taken to hospitals as a result of the incident, officials said. One victim is in critical condition.

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Family members of the newlyweds, Elisabeth Altamirano and Patrac Farjado, said they celebrated the wedding at the house until about 4 a.m. and then went to bed. Jefferson Altamirano, 16, said his sister and son-in-law were sleeping in the room when they heard a loud explosion followed by a fire.

Possible cause - gas leak

“They still don't know what caused the fire, but they say it could have been a gas leak,” Altamirano said.

The first responders took control of the fire by 8:29 am, FDNY reported.

Paukar said he saw 10 people jump out of a third-floor window. The windows of the other floors are covered with metal bars.

“They broke the air conditioner that was there and started jumping,” he said. “All you could see were people jumping from the top floor window. They fell to the ground, some were injured. "

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According to neighbor Sandra Alvarez, the flames engulfed the back of the house. She, she said, went outside after hearing the screams of an elderly woman and children.

“She asked for help. She said: “Children, children, children. Help get the kids outside, ”said 49-year-old Alvarez. “She was worried about the people left in the house. I think they got stuck on the stairs and had to go out through the attic. "

“It was like in a movie. They had soot on their faces. It was pretty scary, ”she added.

Altamirano said that the groom returned to the house three times to rescue the children who were there.

“He had to run back and do everything in his power. He couldn't put out the fire. He said he went inside three times, ”Altamirano noted. "He got up and took his child out of the building, and then came back for his adopted son, and when he got out and tried to return to the house again, the stairs filled with smoke."