A live news conference has ended. The article below will be updated as the story develops.
At least five people were killed in an overnight fire in a
multifamily home in Spring Valley, officials say. Two of the deceased were under
the age of 18.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day said the fire engulfed
the home at 118 Lake St. at 4:03 a.m. By 4:40, it was declared under
control.
The five victims were taken to hospitals, where they were
later pronounced dead. Their names and ages have not yet been released. It wasn’t
immediately clear if they were all members of the same family.
A firefighter suffered a minor injury and is expected to be
OK.
Authorities are investigating what could have sparked the
blaze. Police said the investigation into the fatal fire was “in its
infancy” and encouraged anyone with knowledge about it to call
them.
They did confirm that water pressure was not an issue while fighting the fire.
Detective Phil Fantasia is leading the investigation. He
can be contacted at 845-517-1178.
