Quick-Thinking Family Saves Themselves From UES Fire

FDNY

An UES family saved themselves from a devastating fire in their East 80th Street townhouse early yesterday morning, a block from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The parents, both banking executives, managed to get all four of their children—George, 9, Joe, 8, Teddy, 6 and Lulu, 4—to the roof of their duplex, leaping onto the roof of a neighboring building to escape the flames. "This was the scariest thing in my entire life. It was terrifying. The place was going down, and we knew it," said Sally Bednar, a chief operating officer at Morgan Stanley, who woke her husband after smelling the smoke.

The fire broke out in an empty apartment on the second floor and the FDNY doesn't believe it's suspicious. Firefighters managed to control the blaze by 4:58 a.m., and six firefighters were treated for minor injuries, but none were seriously hurt. [Good video] The family said they lost everything they owned in the blaze, "but we are lucky," said JP Morgan exec David Bednar. Officials applaud Bednar for saving his family by remembering one crucial safety step: After ushering his family out, he closed the door behind him. Had he not, the fire would have spread more quickly, potentially making their escape impossible.

The FDNY hopes this happy ending "reminds everyone of the importance of this simple fire safety step." So if your apartment is enveloped in flames and you are still composed enough to sustain logical thought processes, close that door.

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By Zoe Schlanger in News on April 23, 2010 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

ozik

If that's a photo of the actual townhouse, then what was scary about the jump? The builds butt up against one another. A drop down maybe?

Horse Badorties

I'll be they both owned credit default swaps betting on a fire breaking out. They probably made a few hundred thousand on the deal.

Armchair_warrior

its the expensive paints they use, its quiet common to see fires from that stuff. i'm sure you'll find a article online on it.

JacqueMehoff

I think they did speculate it was fumes from the empty apartment. either paint or floor refinishing.

Gotham Extremist

Will the next door neighbor sue them for trespassing? Proly.

inoyourider

A fire that started in an empty apartment isn't suspicious?

jibbly

Townhouse squatters in the UES?

Clarice City

It was Ruth Madoff.

Stevennnn

Where was the smoke alarm?

Mr. Shankly

Obama did it. He means business.

Armchair_warrior

my careometer for rich folks = 0

Detex

Wow, you are a dick! what does it matter what they have, this is a family @sshole!

grapesodey

well, that's a pretty nasty thing to say. no matter how much money you have, it sucks to lose your home everything you own...especially things of sentimental value that no money can replace.