Neighbors Mourn Death Of Seven Children In Midwood Fire

Sunday memorial service in front of the burned out Sassoon home. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Lopez Jr. / RLJRNews.com)

Neighbors and community leaders gathered at 3371 Bedford Avenue yesterday evening, the site of a Saturday morning fire that claimed the lives of seven children in the deadliest New York City blaze in eight years.

The event mourned the loss of siblings Eliane Sassoon, 16, Rivkah Sassoon, 11, David Sassoon, 12, Yeshua Sassoon, 10, Moshe Sassoon, 8, Sara Sassoon, 6, and Yaakob Sassoon, 5, all of whom died in the fire that authorities believe was sparked by an unattended hot plate.

// <![CDATA[ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); // ]]>

Post by Midwood – Flatbush News BLOG.

The evening memorial followed a funeral service earlier in the day at Borough Parks Shomrei Hadas Chapels. The children’s father, Gabi, who was not home when the fire broke out, stood before the seven small caskets and eulogized each of his young children.

Sunday memorial service in front of the burned out Sassoon home. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Lopez Jr. / RLJRNews.com)

DNAinfo reports:

“There’s nothing to say. There’s only one way to survive this, and it’s complete and total, utter surrender,” the father, who goes by Gabi, could be heard over over a public address system that was piped out to the crowd.

“My children were unbelievable. They were the best. But the truth is that every child is the best,” the heartbroken father said. “Please everyone love your child.”

In his eulogies of each child, he switch between English and Yiddish, describing Yeshua as, “so joyful and creative” and Rivkah had “so much joy.”

Gabi’s wife Gayle, the children’s mother, and a 15-year-old daughter were the only survivors, having saved themselves by jumping from a second-floor window. Both are in critical condition. The remaining children were trapped as the fire, which began in the kitchen, engulfed the stairwell.

A candlelight vigil at the charred remains of the home took place yesterday evening, attended by Senator Chuck Schumer and other elected officials.

Sunday memorial service in front of the burned out Sassoon home. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Lopez Jr. / RLJRNews.com)

“There is no greater loss, there’s no greater tragedy than when a parent buries a child. The Sassoons have to bury seven,” Schumer told the crowd, reports the Daily News. “The community will embrace the Sassoon family in this tragedy and for the rest of their lives.”

Post by Midwood – Flatbush News BLOG.

The fire began just after midnight Saturday morning, sparked by a hot plate left on, a practice used by some observant Jewish families to keep food warm during Sabbath when they cannot turn on electric equipment or use a stove. It spread from the first floor kitchen to other parts of the home, trapping the seven children in their bedrooms.

There were no working smoke detectors on the first or second floors, according to fire officials.

Sunday memorial service in front of the burned out Sassoon home. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Lopez Jr. / RLJRNews.com)

Fire Department officials have been going door-to-door and setting up information booths in the area over the weekend, seeking to raise awareness of fire safety measures that Jewish families can take while observing Sabbath and other holidays, the New York Times reports.

“We have had fires through the years because of issues like this or similar to this,” firefighter George Tabeek of the FDNY’s Fire Safety Education Unit told the Post. “This isn’t the first time this has happened, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last, but we’re encouraging people to make sure they have working smoke alarms. That may have made all the difference here.”

A memorial page has been created on Facebook, the latest post showing the arrival of the seven caskets this morning in Israel, where the children will be laid to rest.

Post by In Memory Of The Sassoon Family Tragedy.

Sunday memorial service in front of the burned out Sassoon home. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Lopez Jr. / RLJRNews.com)