What to Know
- Two people died after a fire that appears to have started in a trash bag ripped through a Brooklyn apartment early Wednesday, police say
- A 36-year-old man died at an area hospital and a 59-year-old woman was pronounced dead the scene of the fire on East 22nd Street in Flatbush
- The names of the man and woman have not yet been released, but neighbors say they were mother and son; the investigation is ongoing
A mother and her adult son died when a fire broke out in a trash bag in their Brooklyn apartment and rapidly grew out of control, spewing flaming garbage from smoky windows early Wednesday, police and witnesses say.
The names of the victims have not been released. Police say the 59-year-old mother was pronounced dead at the scene of the East 22nd Street fire in Flatbush. Her 36-year-old son was taken to a hospital in critical condition with smoke inhalation but died a short time later.
It’s not clear what sparked the fire in the trash bag. Firefighters described a cluttered sixth-floor apartment, but it's not clear how much that fueled the blaze.
Neighbors said they were heartbroken to hear about the deaths of the mother and son, who were part of what they called a "nice family."
