Brave Little Boy Dies In Fire Trying To Save Pets
By Charlie Brett
15:42, December 18th 2007
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A 9-year-old boy died Sunday in a blaze that scorched his Staten Island home as he attempted to save his dog, lizard and fish from the flames.

Tommy Monahan, a 9-year-old boy who lived with his parents and younger sister in Staten Island, in a Tudor-style house at 49 Princewood Ave., lost his life in a terrible fire that scorched his home Sunday.

FDNY spokesman Jim Long said the fire was sparked by a malfunctioning extension cord in the ceiling of the basement late Sunday, according to the New York Daily News. Long said investigators were still trying to determine what caused the extension cord to malfunction and what the cord was powering.

The family had made it out of the burning house safely when Tommy ran back in, presumably to save his beloved pets: terrier Sophie, a lizard and a fish. The little boy and the animals died.

Witnesses told the Daily News that when Tommy’s father saw the boy was not outside, he climbed a ladder and tried to break a second-story window to try to save his son, but was stopped by extreme heat and flames.

His uncle, a retired firefighter who lives next door, climbed to a second-floor window and managed to smash it but could not get in.

Firefighters finally managed to get into the house. The inside stairs collapsed and one firefighter suffered minor injuries but they were eventually able to reach the second floor by means of a ladder.

They found the little boy in his sister’s bedroom and said they were not sure why he did not make it out of the house. His chances were slim to begin with, as he had “a very small window” of time to escape, FDNY officials said.

The unconscious boy was taken to hospital by ambulance. Tommy was pronounced dead at Staten Island University Hospital, Prince's Bay.

Family members and neighbors described the little boy as passionate about sports and especially about animals; he was very devoted to his dog and adored nature walks.



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