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Infant's body recovered after deadly Elmhurst, Queens house fire

The body of an infant was recovered Wednesday after a devastating fire at an Elmhurst, Queens, home Monday night

The fire also claimed the life of the infant's mother, 34-year-old Miguelina Alcantara. Her child was just two weeks old, authorities said. 

Nine other people were injured. 

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Crews battled a deadly house fire in Elmhurst, Queens, on Feb. 9, 2026. CBS News New York

The infant was recovered from the rubble of the charred home after construction crews demolished what was left after the fire. 

"That makes me so sad," neighbor Charlie Halsey said. "I feel so sorry for them." 

The fire broke out just before 7 p.m. Monday and it ultimately grew to four alarms, with more than 200 firefighters brought in to fight it. 

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Crews battled a deadly house fire in Elmhurst, Queens, on Feb. 9, 2026.   CBS News New York

Authorities said four people jumped from rear windows, and two more were rescued from the second floor. Two other properties suffered significant damage, and all three buildings were ordered to be vacated. 

So far, there's no word on how the fire started. 

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