ROME, N.Y. -- It's a terrible and heartbreaking situation: a small child killed in a house fire.
"It's just such a tragedy for anybody to have to go through that," said Rome Fire Chief Ronald Brement. "And I'm sure he gave everything he could to try to get up to the second floor."
It was most likely an ordinary day for Thomas Gazitano. His grandson and great-grandson were visiting for the day at his home on Turin Street in Rome. Shortly before 2 p.m., Gazitano laid his 3-year-old great-grandson, Christopher Fairchild, down for a nap.
"At some point, he realized the 7-year-old was no longer with them," Brement said. "They were all on the first floor together. At that point, then I think things started progressing and he realized as he started looking, there was smoke in the second floor."
The flames were too strong and the smoke too heavy to get to the second floor where he believed his grandson, Ryan St. Andrew, was. Fire crews arrived at the scene moments later.
Firefighters were able to locate the child immediately. St. Andrew was sent to Rome Hospital, but died soon after from his injuries. Gazitano was treated for burns. The 3-year-old was unharmed.
Police and fire investigators are now actively working to find the cause of the fire.
"Part of the investigation is to look at the circumstances that led up to the fire and just find our as far as time frames, how things progressed," Brement said.
Ryan St. Andrew was a second grade student at Ridge Mills Elementary School in Rome. The school district has created a special counseling services phone line specifically for this purpose. Administrators say anyone in the community struggling with this loss can use the service.
To reach a counselor, call 315-842-9265.