Two Teens Dead After Overnight House Fire in Westchester County
A devastating electrical fire tore through a home and destroyed a family overnight. A 17-year-old girl lost her life, and her 15-year-old brother succumbed to critical injuries shortly after.
Power Strip Sparked Fire, Officials Say
The fire ignited at a home on Sherwood Road in Cortlandt Manor at around 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to fire officials.
Frantic rescue attempts unfolded as the flames spread. Neighbors rushed over carrying a ladder. Arriving firefighters discovered both entrances to the home consumed by fire, but managed to pull survivors out through the windows.
“Fire and extreme heat and zero visibility, meaning smoke all the way down from the ceiling to the floor. Very high levels of heat. The door to the first bedroom was open, so the fire had already entered that first bedroom,” Lake Mohegan Fire Chief Thomas Eade said.
The fire began when a power strip connected to an extension cord in the dining room failed, according to a preliminary investigation.
Both teenagers — a 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl — were pulled from the home in critical condition, their bodies covered in severe burns. Neither survived. The family’s dog also perished in the blaze.
The teens’ mother sustained injuries but is expected to make a full recovery. One other adult and a firefighter were also hurt. Several others were inside the home when the fire broke out.
A preliminary investigation determined that a power strip connected to an extension cord in the dining room failed, triggering the blaze. The fire tore rapidly through the raised ranch-style home.
Smoke detectors in the home went off and woke the mother, officials said. The father, Gregory Toone, works as a county corrections officer and was on duty when the fire broke out.
Community Mourning
Friends identified the two teenagers as Alina and Jeremiah Toone.
“He was a kind person, you know,” friend Karen Otavalo said. “Out of everybody that I knew, he was a kind person.”
One of the young survivors came back to the scene Wednesday morning to see the charred remains of the home. By Wednesday evening, classmates of the two teens had gathered outside, leaving flowers and stuffed animals as a tribute.
Neighbors were left stunned and heartbroken by the tragedy.
“The thought was, oh my God, is everybody OK? And then this morning… It’s just terrible,” neighbor Jean Guardino said. “I’ve lived on this road for 51 years … Nothing like this ever happened here before.”
“I just can’t even imagine what the parents are going through. My heart goes out to them,” neighbor Corryn Fisco said. “You just got to hug your kids tight, you know? You just have to like take care of your family and love them.”
County officials and the Putnam Valley District pledged to provide every resource available to support the grieving family during this unimaginable time.
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