Brooklyn Rabbi’s Son Dies in Sukkot Fire
The 8-year-old son of a Brooklyn rabbi died in a Midwood house fire last night as his family celebrated the end of Sukkot and Simchat Torah’s start outside. Avigdor Krasny was the only one of six children who didn’t escape the blaze, according to an Associated Press report. His siblings were saved by their father, Rabbi Jacob Krasny, according to NY1 News. Three surviving brothers, ages 3, 7 and 10, and two sisters, ages 1 and 5, are in critical condition at Staten Island University Hospital.
Neighbors praised the parents’ heroics, NY1 reported. “Jewish father, Jewish mother, they had the heart to take the children out. It comes naturally,” said family friend Joel Felberbaum.
Fire officials say the blaze started in the apartment’s kitchen, but the cause is still under investigation.
“The whole community is mourning,” Ben Greiper, a rabbi, told the New York Daily News. “These were amazing people. We’re all devastated.”
The kids’ site NickJr.com estimates that candles account for 5 percent of all home fires. Among other safety tips, the site warns that parents should never leave a lit candle unattended, and always extinguish candles before leaving the house or sleeping.
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