Community Mourns Devoted Father Who Died In Ditmas Childhood Home
On June 7, the day after neighbor Abiel Harry, father of four, died from smoke inhalation at 106 Marlborough Road, the street was eerily quiet. A breeze ruffling through the enormous trees was the only sound on the residential street between Albermarle and Church Avenues.
On June 6, the fire broke out in the basement of 106 Marlboro Road around 4:40am, according to police reports. Firefighters had the blaze controlled by 5:30am and reportedly found Harry unconscious and unresponsive in the kitchen.
After being rushed to Kings County Hospital, Harry was pronounced dead from smoke inhalation, say police.
Though flames ripped through the basement, and the brick home was left with broken windows on the third floor, the noxious smoke was the real killer that night.
Harry’s mother, Althea Gaines, and his uncle Lennox Harry, the homeowner, were in the house but escaped unharmed. Patch reports:
“I woke up to the smoke,” Gaines said. “I tried to get my brother out of the house. I called for my son. I couldn’t find my son.”
In the comments section of Ditmas Park Corner, neighbors expressed their condolences and lamented that they didn’t know more about Abiel Harry before this tragedy occurred.
Harry lived mostly in Williamsport Pennsylvania, but had roots in the neighborhood. 106 Marlborough Road was his childhood home, reports The Daily News and he was in town caring for his elderly uncle, who suffered from dementia.
When he was in town, he worked as a delivery driver for Postmates, an on-demand delivery company, reports Patch.
Harry was a loving father to four children; a 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter and two stepchildren, said his father Danilo Kinch. He was in the process of gaining custody of his son and daughter, and buying a home in Williamsport for them to live in together.
The Daily News reports:
“My son was a very warm, caring person,” Gaines said while clutching Abiel Harry’s wallet and crying. “He was a giver. Always giving of himself. He thought more of the other person than he did of himself.”
In addition to being a loving father and caring person, Harry was an artist trained at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, reports DNAinfo.
Kinch held an emotional, impromptu memorial on the sidewalk outside of 106 Marlborough Road, where he displayed Harry’s artwork — vinyl designs cut into the shape of records, with the skyline etched in the background.
Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the fire, but FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer confirmed that the home at 106 Marlborough Road did not have any smoke detectors.
Patch reports:
“I didn’t know that, and because my brother [Lennox] has Alzheimer’s, I don’t think he knew that,” Gaines said.
Abiel Harry was more than a headline in the newspaper for the Ditmas Park community, he was a neighbor. Ditmas Park Corner extends its deepest sympathies to Harry’s family, friends, and everyone who is touched by his loss.
If you have memories to share, or information on how we can help the community mourn this tragedy, please email us at editor@ditmasparkcorner.com