A devastating blaze in St. Albans, Queens has claimed the life of 95-year-old Joyce Buncom and critically injured two of her family members. The fire broke out early Sunday morning before 8 a.m. at their home on 202nd Street. Firefighters honed in on the basement of the residence after neighbors reported a loud rumble and flames emerging from the property, as reported by ABC7NY.
Among the injured are Buncom's 68-year-old daughter, Paula, and 6-year-old great-granddaughter, Aylani. Janai Grant, the mother, of Aylani and granddaughter of Joyce Buncom, told CBS News New York, "I'm numb. It's ... It's ... I have no words right now." The family matriarch, described by neighbors as a vital presence in the community for over sixty years, had recently been vacationing in Florida, dancing and embodying the role of the life of the party.
The causes of the fire remain under investigation with initial suggestions, pointing towards a boiler explosion as detailed by Sylvia Lovelace, a neighbor, to ABC7NY.
FDNY crews who arrived on scene encountered a house "engulfed in flames, not smoke - flames, orange flames" as quoted by a witness to CBS News New York. The impact of this tragedy has left the neighborhood reeling, as locals recollect Miss Joyce's spirited nature and friendliness.
"Now she's with God in heaven, and I believe she's okay now," Grant reflected. In her sorrow, Grant holds on to hope that her daughter and mother will survive their critical injuries stating, "Hopefully, God got me. I'll be okay. We'll get through this. My daughter will pull through. Hopefully, my mother will pull through," during her interview with CBS News New York.
