Free Smoke Detectors to Be Distributed in Wake Of Sassoon Tragedy

Elected officials and community and corporate groups will be handing out free smoke detectors on Tuesday night in memory of the seven Sassoon children killed in a fast-raging fire in Midwood Friday night.

The giveaway, at the public school on 2515 Ave. L, corner of Bedford Ave., will take place from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Presentations will be given by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Comptroller Scott Stringer, Public Advocate Letitia James and Councilman Chaim Deutsch, to be followed by a safety seminar by the Fire Department. Dr. Norman Blumenthal of Ohel will discuss trauma counseling.

The seven children all passed away from smoke inhalation, according to the medical examiner’s office, who released their findings on Monday. It was the deadliest blaze in the city since 2007, when a Bronx fire killed nine Malian immigrants.

“We’ll have some clear message to the people of the city on what we think about that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. “But we first want to really complete the investigation.”

The event Tuesday is sponsored by those named above, along with others including the Fire Department of New York, Misaskim, the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, COJO of Flatbush, Home Depot and the American Red Cross.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the March 24th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.