By Tom McElroy
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Two sibling toddlers died Wednesday after suffering steam burns in a New York City apartment, and investigators are looking into whether a radiator malfunctioned, authorities said.
When firefighters arrived at the building, which housed several homeless families, they were met in the lobby by the victim’s father with the girls, who were unconscious, New York Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said.
The firefighters immediately performed CPR on the toddlers and rushed them to an ambulance, Long said.
“I saw the firemen carry them out,” neighbor Eddie Perez, 68, told the Daily News. “They didn’t look like they were alive. They were limp.”
The girls, identified as Scylee Vayoh Ambrose, 1, and Ibanez Ambrose, 2, were taken to a hospital where they were pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon.
The medical examiner will determine what caused their deaths. However, fire officials said both children had severe burns apparently caused by a steam leak from a malfunctioning radiator.
“It appeared to be a failure of the radiator,” said Long. “A valve or release valve that became separated.”
A neighbor told WABC-TV that she heard a woman screaming and saw steam emerging from the closed door.
“We are devastated by this tragedy,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “We are investigating and taking steps to immediately transfer the four other families being sheltered at this location to another shelter.”
A spokesman for the city’s Department of Buildings said investigators were at the scene. A telephone call to the operator of the shelter was not answered.
“We will certainly be looking at Building Department records, previous complaints, outstanding complaints, current complaints,” FDNY Chief Michael Gala said.