Peekskill house fire kills teenager in Westchester County, firefighters say

A teenager was killed in a house fire for the second time in eight days in Westchester County.

The blaze broke out just after 6 p.m. Wednesday on High Street in Peekskill. Firefighters arrived in just two minutes to find roaring flames and thick black smoke. 

Residents said at least one person was trapped inside. 

Firefighters conducted a rapid search and found a 15-year-old unconscious on the second floor. The teen was rushed to the hospital but didn't survive. 

"Unbelievable. Nothing you can say. Losing a child, you can't describe it," said neighbor Windell Smythe.    

"It was terrible. I haven't seen many fires. The flames were just coming out of the windows, five, six, seven, eight feet," said neighbor Cathy Smythe.   

The relatively new home, built in 2013, was gutted by the fire. Sadly, the loss goes beyond possessions that can be replaced. 

Peekskill City School District Superintendent Dr. David Mauricio posted on social media about the teen.

"It is with profound sadness that we learned of the tragic loss of one of our out-of-district students in a fire last evening. On behalf of the entire Peekskill City School District, I extend our deepest condolences to the student's family and loved ones," he wrote. 

Fire officials are still investigating the cause.