Dramatic photo of baby hanging out window of burning Bronx apartment

[Renew Deal]

Source: NY Daily News



Here is the dramatic picture of a 7-month-old girl being dangled precariously out the fifth-floor window of a burning Bronx apartment on Monday.

The photo, taken by neighbor Maya Tucker, shows how close to death little Zaniwah Alexandra came before firefighters scaled ladders to save her.

Zaniwah's cousin, Vanessa Scott, 18, told the Daily News she held the baby out the window so she could breathe.

"I slid the baby through the bars," said Scott, who suffered smoke inhalation in the 2 p.m. blaze at the Pelham Parkway Houses that started in a closet.
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Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/02/16/2010-02-16_hanging_on_for_dear_life.html

[Tailormyst]

1. Not sure I can think of too many things scarier then that

So glad they were saved.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Horrifying!

Thank God everyone is okay.

[SteppingRazor]

3. First question that came to mind: Why are there bars on a fifth-story window?

I know, kinda off-topic and hardly the point here, but still, isn't that weird?

[Drunken Irishman]

4. It says in the article. They're child-guard bars.

Probably making sure the child doesn't fall out the window which seems to happen an awful lot.

[SteppingRazor]

6. Oy. Talk about yer irony. n/t

[Tailormyst]

5. So a child can't fall out the window

[Infomaniac]

11. NYC Regulation

There is a NYC housing requlation that says child guards are required in apartments housing children age 10 and under. I think you can waive the installation requirement in writing. I just filled out a form for my coop attesting that I have no children under age 10 living with me.

They're not a bad idea. In the warmer weather we have frequent news reports of young children seriously injured or killed from falls out of hi-rise windows.

[Renew Deal]

12. They're actually fairly common in NY

[FailureToCommunicate]

13. Remember Eric Clapton's son's fall because of no window guards...

link:

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/21/nyregion/eric-clapton-s-son-killed-in-a-49-story-fall.html?pagewanted=1

[Robb]

7. Amazingly sensible thing to do

...especially under stress like that. I've got an 8 month-old who's big for her age, I could hold her for a long time with one hand -- especially if I knew it would keep her from smoke inhalation.

Kudos to mom.

[EFerrari]

10. When that "protect the kid" thing kicks in, it is pretty amazing.

I've told the story of chasing a burglar on a hot prowl out of my room many times but the reason I did it was because my year old was on the other side of the wall. Had I been alone, who knows what would have happened.

[aquart]

14. It was her 18 year old cousin.

[Robb]

17. So it was.

All the more impressive for a cool head.

[duhneece]

18. Amen. Kudos to the mom nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. I thought Jacko was dead.

Seriously, glad the firefighters were able to complete the rescue.

[virgogal]

9. See link---Pulitzer prize winner of same type of terrifying photo.

http://alt.tnt.tv/specials/moi/photo_boston.html

[Libertas1776]

15. That photo

always gives me the chills.

[virgogal]

19. Me too----and the fact that the photographer got the shot at that

precise moment in days before digital cameras.

I remember when it happened as if it were yesterday-----a sad,sad, situation.

[lamp_shade]

16. Now there's a hero. Quick thinking Vanessa.