Mom Identifies Son as Victim of Fatal Enfield Fire

ENFIELD, CT — Fire officials are still investigating the cause of a deadly blaze that claimed one life early Friday morning, and have not yet released the names of any of the persons involved, but a resident of the multi-family house told a local television station her 21-year-old son died in the fire.

Jacqueline Moya, who escaped from a second-floor apartment at 11 Alden Avenue along with two others, told WFSB-TV her son, Jose Cotto-Moya, 21, perished in the apartment.

According to Moya, her daughter-in-law and a 2-year-old girl were rescued. Fire officials said the owner of the multi-family structure, who lives on the first floor, escaped unharmed.

"Currently two adult female fire victims are under medical care and stable at hospital and one child is under medical care and stable at an area hospital," Capt. Scott Ellis said in a news release Monday afternoon.

Ellis said a neighbor who lives across the street a few houses down from the scene rushed into the burning building to try and help.

Sean Crowley, 18, told Patch he and a friend were just returning from shopping when they saw flames shooting out from the back of the dwelling. He called 911 while running up the street and encountered Moya coming out the front door.

"I ran into the building up the stairs and got in the first room about five or 10 feet, but the smoke was too thick," he said. "I heard people banging inside, and I tried to tell them things like stay low, cover the baby, bring them toward the light."

Crowley said he didn't give a second thought about his own safety.

"It was pretty much just reaction - I didn't have time to think about it," he said. "Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do. I feel for the family."

Ellis and firefighter Mike Richardson, deputy fire marshals for the Thompsonville Fire Department, are leading the investigation.

Photo credit: Mark Zarcaro/Fire Departments of Enfield