BUFFALO, N.Y. - A seven-year-old boy is dead, and two people were rescued from a house fire at 59 Benzinger Street.
The fire broke out shortly before 3:00 A.M. Monday morning.
2 on Your Side was told there were eight people inside the home at the time of the fire - two adults and six kids.
Fire fighters found seven-year-old Anthony Conti in the kitchen. In a press conference, authorities say he died of smoke inhalation.
Our Emily Lampa spoke with Anthony's father, Joe, who owns the Benzinger Street home. He says there is no insurance on the house - but that structure is only a secondary loss for the family that lived in this home.
"One thing I lost...one thing," Joe Conti said. "We got five out of six of the kids out, one we couldn't get. I just feel like I failed him [...] He was the sweetest kid you could ever meet. Hugged mom a thousand times a day, told her he loved her. He was just a good boy. Great boy. Just a sweet boy. The school loved him...he was just an all around amazing kid."
Anthony went to Lovejoy Discovery School.
As far as how the fire started , it's still not clear. After the flames were put out, we're told fire fighters went back into the house and helped the family pick through the rubble to find items that could be salvaged.
Anthony's brother, Angelo, told 2 on Your Side he was allowed back in to try and grab some things, but all he could find were some boots and shoes for his sisters.
So they really are depending on the generosity of the community to get them through this tough time.
Buffalo Council member, Richard Fontana, says the Conti family has strong roots in the tight-knit Lovejoy community, which is why there has already been such an outpouring of support.
A small bear, by the tree out front of the home, the first of many tributes for little Anthony. And for the family, baskets and bags of donations coming into the designated drop off site, the Mead Library on Ludington street, police stations and the Hennepin community center are now accepting donations -- for the Conti Family.
Fontana says they will accept any non-monetary items, including blankets, clothes, school supplies, etc.
If you would like to donate shoes/clothing for the Conti family, here are the sizes we were given:
- Mom: x-small shirts and pants, size 9 shoes
- Dad: x-large shirts and size 32 pants, size 12 shoe
- Kaylee (teen girl): med shirts and pants, women's size 9 shoes
- Amber (teen girl): small shirts and pants, women's size 9 shoes
- Aria (toddler girl): 3T, kids size 10 shoes
- Angelo (teen boy): med shirts and pants, men's size 13 shoes
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family for monetary donations. Click here for more information: http://bit.ly/2DXAKX2