Member-only story

Death in Belmont: The Untold Story of the Belmont Avenue Fire

Aldous Huxley

·5.3k Followers· Follow

Published in A Death In Belmont Sebastian Junger

5 min read · 2 weeks before

404 View Claps

21 Respond

Save

Listen

On December 28, 1975, a fire broke out in a brownstone at 222 Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. By the time the blaze was extinguished, twelve people were dead, most of them children. The fire was one of the deadliest in the Bronx's history, and it has remained largely unknown for decades.

Now, in this gripping account, Sebastian Junger tells the full story of the Belmont Avenue fire, drawing on exclusive interviews with survivors, firefighters, and investigators. Junger reconstructs the events of that fateful night, from the first flicker of flames to the final, desperate attempts to save the victims. He also explores the aftermath of the fire, as the survivors struggled to rebuild their lives and the community grappled with the tragedy.

A Death in Belmont

by Sebastian Junger

4.4 out of 5

Death in Belmont is a powerful and moving account of one of the most forgotten tragedies in New York City history. It is a story of loss, grief, and resilience, and it is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human heart.

The Fire

The fire broke out at around 10:30 pm on a cold and windy night. The building was a four-story brownstone, and it was home to several families. The fire started in the basement, and it quickly spread to the upper floors. The residents were trapped by the flames, and many of them died trying to escape.

The fire department responded quickly to the scene, but it was too late to save most of the victims. The fire was so intense that it destroyed the entire building, and it took several days to put out the flames.

The Victims

The twelve victims of the Belmont Avenue fire were all residents of the building. They ranged in age from 2 to 72 years old. Most of the victims were children, and many of them died in their sleep.

The victims included:

Alberto Acosta, 2
Alexandra Acosta, 4
Ana Acosta, 10
Carmen Acosta, 22
Isabel Alvarez, 4
Johnnie Colon, 72
Maria Colon, 38
Rafael Colon, 40
Mildred Davis, 29
James Edwards, 34
John Edwards, 3
Joseph Edwards, 5

The Aftermath

The Belmont Avenue fire was a devastating tragedy for the Bronx community. The fire left twelve families homeless, and it destroyed the lives of many others. The survivors of the fire struggled to rebuild their lives, and the community grappled with the tragedy.

In the years since the fire, the Belmont Avenue community has come together to remember the victims and to heal from the tragedy. A memorial to the victims was erected at the site of the fire, and the community holds an annual vigil to remember the victims and their families.