(Mott Haven-WABC, April 20, 2004) -- A pair of toddlers escape what could have been deadly fire overnight thanks to some quick-thinking firefighters in the Bronx.
They crawled on their hands and knees; they broke down a door and pulled the toddlers to safety. Two firefighters knew when they showed up on E. 146th Street, they were racing against the clock. Fourteen-month-old Jeremy was sleep in a third floor bedroom and his eighteen-month-old cousin Tinisha was also there.
Neighbors had already started throwing buckets on the flames. Firefighters Chris Sweeney ran up to the top floor and grabbed Jeremy. He pulled the toddler out and performed CPR on the boy. Mark Frederickson also made it through the big smoke by crawling on his hands and knees. He got Tinisha out.
Relatives say the fire moved fast and investigators say it was an accidental electrical fire.
Claribel Mercado, Jeremy's Godmother: "It was through the walls because water was leaking through the walls, so the fire just rushed out to all of the other rooms."
Even though the firefighters did get the kids out, Tinisha is at Lincoln Hospital. She is doing all right. But relatives have been back and forth to Jacobi all morning because that is where Jeremy is and he is in critical condition.
