Fire Tragedy Destroys Family, Holidays

The pre-Christmas tragedy of a dead mother and her three children in the hospital haunts family and friends. Naomi Siquencia, 7, Alexandra, 4, and Carolina Sandoval, 3, are in the hospital following the December 15 inferno in Jackson Heights.
At a time when the three girls should be gleefully singing carols with their parents, they instead are in critical but stable condition at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center after suffering second and third degree burns. Two are in danger of losing their eyesight.
Flor Pineda, 36, the girls mother, died while trying to save her children and neighbors.
"My sister died trying to prevent her neighbors from being burned by the fire. She started knocking the door of everybody when it was too late for her to get out of the place," said Reina Jimnez, Pinedas sister and one of the lucky ones that survived the tragedy.
The father of the victims, Alex Sandoval, 30, is still at Jacobi Medical Center in delicate but stable condition. He suffered burns over 70% of his body.
"Everything happened so fast that we could not do anything," said Mariela Castro, a neighbor. "We are all in shock. This is a tragedy for our community."
The fire, which began when a lit candle ignited nearby drapes in an apartment below Pinedas, was fanned by strong winds and by a door left open.
"There is always a strong wind in this street, that made the blaze fly all over," said a neighbor.
The accidental culprit, Kenny Pastuizaca, 16, expressed severe remorse at having sparked the blaze and at not having called 911. He then packed his belongings and returned to Ecuador with his 26-year-old sister, Marcia Zumba.
But the apology was little salve for angry family members. Reina Gomez, Pinedas sister, angrily confronted Pastuizaca before he left.
About 40 other people were injured in the blaze, including a firefighter and two police officers. Some of the affected families returned to the building where half of the 96 apartments were destroyed, hoping for a Christmas miracle.
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