Park Slope Brooklyn Fire, 5 Critically Burned Rushed to Manhattan Burn Hospital

The New York Post reports that a raging fire in Brooklyn at 12:17 p.m. yesterday that put five into the hospital--all in critical condition, and rushed to New York Presbyterian Cornell Weill Medical Center in Manhattan. The conflagration at 615 President Street in Park Slope has turned the day truly black for the family whose home burst into flames--the result of smoking in bed.

Those fighting to survive include a baby boy just 8 months old, his mom, and aunt and uncle and the mom's boyfriend.

The family was trapped, the paper reports authorities as saying, on Thanksgiving. The victims of this horrible accident include the infant, Josiah Alexis, mom Justine, 20, her boyfriend, George Dejesus and her brother Jonathan, 22.

Justine's twin sister, Jasmine is in critical condition at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, according the the Post.They others were rushed to New York Presbyterian Cornell Weill Medical Center in Manhattan, where they've all been placed on ventilators and have also been described as in critical condition, said the paper.

The William Randolph Hearst Burn Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is the largest and busiest in the nation, treating more than 1,300 inpatients and 4,000 outpatients annually, according to its website. Research there on burns, one of the most challenging of trauma injuries, has led through the years to significant improvements in survival rates and quality of life for those devastated by such injuries.

Every year the center treats over 1,000 children and has become the go to burn center for the the New York City Fire Department. The department, according to the hospital, has played a major role in the development of its programs. Its multidisciplinary team offers comprehensive treatment for the three phases of burn-injury care: burn shock, wound care/surgery, and rehabilitative/reconstructive efforts.

Even though the NYFD responded in under three minutes--and were able to use CPR and a breathing machine to get the baby and boyfriend breathing again, all suffered from severe smoke inhalation.

The Post reported the FDNY Deputy Chief Kevin Woods as saying, Make no mistake about it, there's five people alive today due to coordinated efforts of FDNY - and that, on this Thanksgiving, we are very thankful for.