Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  Fire ravaged a Harlem apartment killing an entire family of 6 on May 8, 2019.

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

A whole family perished in a fire that swept through an apartment in Harlem early Wednesday. Six family members, including four children, were killed when a fire that apparently started on a stove ravaged a Harlem apartment, New York Fire Department authorities said. Emergency officials responded around 1:40 a.m. to the Fred Samuels Houses, a New York City Housing Authority building located at 2441  7th Avenue bounded by 142 Street near Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard , after flames broke out on the fifth floor of the seven-story building.  FDNY said the fire was accidental caused by unattended cooking . There was no smoke alarm recovered, according to FDNY.  A 45-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were found dead inside the apartment, along with two girls ages 11 and 6 and two boys ages 8 and 3.  The fire began in the kitchen and eventually spread to every room in the apartment.  Fire officials said an emergency crew arrived on the scene approximately three minutes after getting the 1:40 a.m. call but were unable to save the family.  Some 100 firefighters were called to scene to battle the blaze. Residents in the building said they did not hear any alarms going off, but were awakened in the early morning by the smell of fire and screams for help. 

“This is a gut-wrenching moment for all of us.  At this point, all signs point to a horrible, terrible accident.”

-NY City Mayor Bill  de Blaiso 

Photo by Gary Raynaldo  / Debris from the burned-out apartments  outside the building

Credit: //www.nbcnewyork.com /  45-year-old Andrea Pollidore and her kids — 11-year-old Nakiya, 8-year-old Andre, 4-year-old Elijah and 6-year-old Brooklyn died. The blaze also killed a 32-year-old family friend.

Credit: gofundme.com /     GO FUND ME Page set up.

Fire ravaged Harlem apartment, killing family of 6.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  Burned out apartments on the fifth and Sixth floor of the seven story building

Photo by Gary Raynaldo  / Fire ravaged the upper floors of apartment building.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /   Front of apartment building on Adam Clayton Powell in Harlem

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  A man apparently salvaged a Curious George doll in the pile of burned-out debris flanked by community outreach police officers

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  Man clutches Curious George doll found in debris in aftermath of Harlem fire