A Queens home erupted in flames Sunday, killing an ailing retiree who was trapped by the roaring blaze, FDNY officials said.
Firefighters rushed to the scene after a 911 call around 3:30 p.m. reported a house was on fire in Queens Village between Springfield Blvd. and 221st St. The victim — identified by relatives as Calvin White, 62 — was found dead when firefighters arrived, officials said.
“We found one victim in the rear of the second floor, a fatality. He was in his bedroom on the second floor rear,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Trahan said at the scene, adding the victim had “no chance of getting out at that time. There was heavy fire.”
“There was nobody else home; he was home by himself. We heard from occupants that he was just recently in the hospital, I’m not sure what his condition was prior to that,” Trahan added.
Obtained by Daily News
Calvin White, 62 (Obtained by Daily News)
White’s cousin, Thomas “Bubba” Harrison, 44, said his beloved relative was a retired laborer who was diagnosed with cancer and recently returned home from the hospital.
Harrison said he was on his way to the house to check on White when he got a phone call from a neighbor, who told him the house was on fire.
When he got there, Harrison said he asked firefighters if there was anyone in the house. And when they responded “yes,” he said he was crushed, and felt like his stomach had just “dropped.”
“Anybody who takes a loss knows that there’s nothing like it. It’s the grief,” Harrison said. “We got to live with that. It’s a cross that we got to bear. It’s pretty devastating.”
The blaze in the two-story private dwelling was brought under control at 4:30 p.m., officials said.
Fire marshals are investigating the cause and origin of the fire, which may have started in the attic, officials said.
Harrison last spoke to his cousin four days ago. “He told me he loved me on Wednesday, and I told him I loved him back,” Harrison said.
”Cherish every day you got on this Earth,” he added. “You never know.”
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