Elderly Couple Killed in Yonkers House Fire

Updated at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2015: The elderly couple who perished in Wednesday night’s fire on Hillcrest Avenue in Yonkers are believed to be Pulitzer-nominated composer Ronald Senator, 89, and his concert pianist wife, Miriam Brickman, 81, according to published reports.

The delay in naming the two as the victims was to allow for authorities to notify next of kin.

Original story: A late-night house fire in Yonkers Wednesday claimed the lives of two elderly residents living inside, according to fire officials.

The home on Hillcrest Avenue is owned by Pulitzer-nominated composer Ronald Senator and his concert pianist wife Miriam Brickman, but whether they are the two who perished had not been officially disclosed as of Thursday morning.

Two other people escaped the blaze and were treated at the scene for minor injuries, according to Fios1 News.

The Journal News reports the deceased pair were pulled out of the home by firefighters and taken to different hospitals where they were pronounced dead.

“They were found on the second floor,” Yonkers Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Fitzpatrick told Fios1 News of the two who died.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. About 70 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which took hours to get under control, according to Fitzpatrick.

Image: Screen shot via Fios1 News