Fatal Long Island Fire Deemed "Suspicious"

The fire in a Lawrence apartment building that claimed the lives of a mother and three of her children has been called "suspicious" by Nassau County officials. Newsday reports that "natural and accidental causes for the fire have been ruled out, and that agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would be assisting the police department's arson/bomb squad and homicide squad in the investigation."

The fire started around 5:39 a.m. and appeared to be "intentionally set on a stairwell leading up to the two apartments above a Lawrence coin laundry," according to the Post. And investigators have apparently found signs of an accelerant. Edit Vanegas said he and wife Morena were sleeping when they heard shouts about the fire. He told reporters that he grabbed their 9-year-old son Leonel and jumped out of their second floor window. Another son, Manases, 12, also jumped. A relative said, "The mother was at the window. The father was pleading with her, 'Drop the kids!' but she was scared and confused. She probably didn't realize that she was going to die."

Morena Vangeas died alongside her daughters Andrea, 13, and Susanna Vanegas, 9, and her son 19-year-old son Saul Preza (pictured). The building's fire escape had been removed in 2003. Newsday reports that the family in the neighboring apartment survived the fire, with police officers helping them out the windows. Morena's grieving sister also said, "I don't know who would do this. Whoever did it has to be brought to justice."