Early morning house fire in NYC kills mom, 4 kids

[July 22, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- A fast-moving blaze in a multiple-dwelling home early Thursday killed a mother and her four children. Fire officials could not find any smoke detectors in the apartment.

The children were 2, 7, 10 and 14, and lived with their mother in a second-floor apartment of the 2-story building, fire officials said. All the tenants in the other three apartments got out safely.

Neighbors identified the dead woman as Lisa Jones and said she attended a beauty school during the day. Her 7- and 10-year-old children were girls and the other two were boys.

"She was trying to better her life for her and her children," said Jones' downstairs neighbor, Criseena Lee, who got out unharmed.

The blaze was very heavy when firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after receiving the call at 4:13 a.m. The fire in the Port Richmond section was declared under control at 5:48 a.m.

Fire officials said it originated in Jones' apartment and quickly moved through the attic space and roof.

Nicholas Cotton, who lived in the other second-floor apartment with his girlfriend, Shannon Barbach, said he woke up, opened his door and saw the fire inside Jones' apartment.

Cotton's apartment had two exits, but Jones' had only one, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

[Associated Press; By DEEPTI HAJELA]

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