An infant was left in a serious condition after her family's apartment in Flushing, New York razed from an overnight fire. Along with the baby girl were two adults, one of whom was the baby's mother, and the victims were taken to New York Hospital in Queens Friday morning, Nov. 18.
NBC News reports the fire started at around 2 a.m. in the Pomonok Houses. Based on the officials' investigation, the fire started on the three-storey building's first floor. The cause was to be determined by the investigators.
The baby's mother was also said to possibly pass out because of the thick smoke created by the fire. The victim was seen taken out from the apartment on a stretcher.
A resident of the torched apartment, Sylvia Friedl, said that the fire has been "very scary." She added that she luckily survived the fire because the smoke has been very intense.
Other than being said to be in serious condition, no further information is known regarding the baby girl's state. According to Child's Hospital of Philadelphia, flames from a fire can cause various degrees of burns.
The most advanced of the three states, third-degree burn, can be referred as a full thickness burn. It does not only destroys the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), it also penetrates to the deep within the layer (dermis).
If this kind of burn occurs to a child, the skin may appear as leathery and dry. It will also look swelling and may have a black, white, brown or yellow color. While third-degree burns are painful to incur, it ultimately leads to lack of pain as it destroys nerve endings, which disables a person to feel sensations.
Kids Health recommends that potential fire hazards should be taken out of children's reach, considering that children are often curious and this can lead to accidents. Electrical wires and outlets should always be in good condition and immediately replace or repair the faulty ones.
