A father says his young son was clinically dead for nearly an hour after suffering critical injuries in an apartment fire in New Hampshire that killed one person and sent eight others to the hospital.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Thursday, Jan. 1, at the Executive Manor Apartments in Manchester. State officials said two people, including a child, were critically injured in the blaze, according to ABC affiliate WCVB-TV.
Authorities reported that the child was found unresponsive in a bedroom inside the burning building and was later transported to a Boston-area hospital.
The boy’s father, Laka Aylisungu, told ABC affiliate WMUR–TV that his son remains in extremely critical condition.
“He passed for 45 minutes,” Aylisungu said. “They had to do CPR, and now he is breathing a little bit.”
Aylisungu said he was not home when the fire started. His family, who were asleep inside the apartment, only became aware of the blaze at the last moment, after others in the building had already evacuated, according to the report.
The fire is believed to have originated on the third floor of the building, New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey said, according to WMUR-TV. He added that the fast-moving flames forced some residents to jump from balconies and blocked others from escaping through hallways.
An adult man later died from his injuries after being transported to a Boston-area hospital. The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office identified the victim as 70-year-old Thomas J. Casey, who died from smoke inhalation, according to NBC affiliate WBTS.
In total, ten families were displaced by the fire, according to FOX affiliate WFXT and CBS affiliate WBZ-TV.
As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, the American Red Cross is assisting those affected.
“We are just trying to provide comfort care at the moment,” said Red Cross official Allyson Stanczyk.
