A 6-year-old boy was killed and his father was left fighting for his life when a fire broke out in the trash compactor of a Bronx public housing complex Friday evening, authorities said.
Firefighters discovered young Aiden Hayward and a 32-year-old man — who sources said was his dad — unconscious in a hallway at 303 East 135th St. in NYCHA’s Mitchel Houses after responding to the blaze around 5:20 p.m., according to the NYPD and FDNY.
Hayward was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital. His father was in critical condition at Lincoln Hospital, officials said. Both family members had suffered smoke inhalation, according to police.
Eight other people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and two firefighters were left with minor injuries, the FDNY said.
Fire officials said flames from the compactor chute had pushed smoke up to the upper floors of the Mott Haven building.
It took more than 100 FDNY members about two hours to get the inferno under control, the department said. The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
