NYCHA Caretaker Saves Baby and Family from Blaze
Caretaker Ivan Maestre was honored for rescuing a two-week-old infant and four others from a third-floor blaze at Claremont Rehab in the Bronx on August 2. The ceremony was hosted at the Claremont Community Center on August 10 by New York State Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner, New York City Council Member Vanessa Gibson, and Claremont Tenant Association President Maria Forbes for “the selfless individuals that assisted in the brave rescue of families in the fire,” as reported by News 12 Bronx. Thanks to the prompt response of Mr. Maestre and Con Edison workers, all the victims are fully recovered.
When Mr. Maestre was preparing for the afternoon mopping and heard people yelling “fire, fire,” his first thought was to check on a woman in a wheelchair in the lobby. “You get to know all the residents and who is where at what time of the day,” said Mr. Maestre, who has worked at Claremont Rehab for seven years.
He then went door-todoor down the smoke-filled halls to warn residents, later assisted by the Con Edison employees, until he reached a third-floor apartment that appeared to be the source of the blaze. He kicked in the door, found nobody inside, and closed it to contain the smoke. When he reached a door on the fourth floor, he heard people inside telling him there was a baby.
At this point the smoke was so thick that it was difficult to breathe. Mr. Maestre told the residents not to open their door—to keep out the smoke—and he immediately went to the roof to open the roof door to let the smoke out.
Mr. Maestre then went down the fire escape and entered the apartment where the residents and baby were waiting. “They were panicked and didn’t know what to do. I was worried that the gas line might explode, so I knew I had to get everyone out fast.”
First Mr. Maestre carried the baby in his arms down four floors on the fire escape. He then returned to the apartment to bring down the family dog. The four other residents were able to travel down the fire escape unassisted. The scene on the street was chaotic, but the family members were able to express their gratitude.
“You get to know all the residents, and really they are like family,” he said. “I saw the people I helped while they were growing up. What I did was just a gut reaction. But if I didn’t do anything, I couldn’t live with myself.”
“What he did was just amazing,” said Ms. Forbes, who helped organize the award ceremony. “He never thought about himself. He just ran right in without hesitation to warn the residents and save that family and baby. It was just his human instinct to help. Many people here are grateful, and we are very proud of him.”
Many of Mr. Maestre’s coworkers and residents congratulated him on the heroic deed. When asked to explain how he kept calm and thought clearly, Mr. Maestre mentioned that he is a martial arts instructor and also teaches the discipline to children. “This helped me focus and to have confidence and courage,” he said.
