Teen Siblings Killed in New York House Fire While Corrections Officer Father Was on Duty

A devastating house fire killed two teenage children of a New York corrections officer while he was out on duty. The children were asleep at home when the fire broke out, engulfing the whole house, located in Westchester.

A New York corrections officer lost his children in a devastating house fire on the morning of May 28, while they were in their sleep. The officer has been identified as Gregory Toone, who has been working as a corrections officer for the past decade and was on duty on the night when the fire broke out. The residence where the fire broke out is located in Cortlandt, Westchester County. The fire started around 2:30 a.m. on May 28, according to reports from WABC.

Toone’s daughter, Alina, 17, and his son Jeremiah, 15, were pulled from the second-floor bedroom and rushed to the hospital, but they died there.

“I had two members in one bedroom; they worked their tails off to get these individuals out from the ground ladder, out of the window onto the floor where they’re both found pulseless and not breathing,” Thomas Eade, the Lake Mohegan Fire District Chief, said.

The mother of the victim, Yenny Disla-Toone, was rescued by an older teen, who lived downstairs and was “screaming” to firefighters that her children were in the bedrooms when they arrived at the scene, according to the fire chief.

Investigators initially thought the blaze was accidental, but they now believe it was caused by an overloaded power strip, according to the Peekskill Herald. Westchester County officials and the Toones’ neighbor were left horrified by what unfolded.

Ken Jenkins, the Westchester County Executive, described Toone as one of the county’s “most dedicated correction officers” and said the blaze was an unimaginable tragedy. “Our hearts are broken, and our entire correction family is mourning the loss of correction officer Toone’s children,” he said.

Meanwhile, Susan Cacace, the Westchester County District Attorney, branded the fire a “catastrophic incident,” adding it’s “every parent's worst nightmare.”

“No mother or father deserves that,” said one of the neighbors named Juan Guardino, according to News12 reports of News12.

Alina Toone was in 11th grade, and Jeremiah was in 10th grade. They both attended Putnam Valley High School and were part of the theater group. The school’s club has led the tributes to the teens.

“Alina Toone, an assistant stage manager, could light up any room,” the group said on social media. “She was sunshine as a person, having the ability to make anyone smile with her charming personality,” the post read. “She was also an extremely hardworking individual and will be deeply missed.”

“Jeremiah Toone, a former cast member, was the master of finding humor in any situation. He was an extremely funny person with the kindest heart, always willing to bring a smile anywhere and anytime. The loss of Jeremiah will be sincerely felt.”