New York City Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore was attending a political conference in Puerto Rico, approximately 1,600 miles away, when a fire in Brooklyn resulted in six fatalities. The fire, which broke out early Thursday morning in a two-story residential building in Sunset Park, also left several injured. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others died en route to the hospital.
Bonsignore, who was observed at a beachside resort in San Juan interacting with union leaders at the annual Somos political conference, downplayed her absence. "I have my first deputy commissioner who is currently taking care of business down there," she told reporters when questioned about whether her absence posed any difficulties in responding to the deadly fire. She added that she felt there was no need for her to return to New York City.
Instead, Bonsignore offered fire safety advice. "We need to get the message out there that fire safety and education is an important thing to learn for every family, every neighbor, every person," she said. "So you know what to do if a fire is happening in your area; you should know how to react."
The Somos gathering is a significant event for New York’s political figures, typically held in San Juan each year. According to FDNY sources, it is unusual for the fire commissioner to attend, and they could not recall the last time the city's top fire official had been present at the conference. The Mayor's administration had approved sending deputies and commissioners to the event.