{"id":335062,"date":"2021-09-05T07:37:08","date_gmt":"2021-09-05T04:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/nypd-could-have-saved-queens-family-that-drowned-in-basement\/"},"modified":"2021-09-05T07:37:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T04:37:08","slug":"nypd-could-have-saved-queens-family-that-drowned-in-basement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/nypd-could-have-saved-queens-family-that-drowned-in-basement\/","title":{"rendered":"#NYPD could have saved Queens family that drowned in basement"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#NYPD could have saved Queens family that drowned in basement<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n        <\/aside>\n<p>A grieving neighbor of a Queens family who died in their flooded basement apartment during Ida claims police passed up a chance to save the couple and toddler.<\/p>\n<p>Nancy Pico, 49, told The Post NYPD officers were evacuating the building during Wednesday\u2019s historic torrential flooding, hours before the couple were found dead \u2014 and she unsuccessfully pleaded with them to break down the family\u2019s door.<\/p>\n<p>Pico said she\u2019s lived on the second floor of 44-60 64th Street in Flushing for seven years, and saw neighbor Ang Gelu Lama come home from work at 7 p.m. Wednesday, before the worst of the storm lashed the city.<\/p>\n<p>Sometime around 10 p.m., eight NYPD officers, \u201cstrong men,\u201d she said, came to evacuate the building as water rose, but the cops chose not to force their way into the apartment to evacuate Lama, 50, Mingma Sherpa, 48, and Lobsang Lama, 2, according to Pico. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097791.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"On Sept. 1, Nancy Pico came to place a memorial to the family and baby that lost their lives in flooding.\" class=\"wp-image-19354707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097791.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097791.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097791.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097791.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>On Sept. 1, Nancy Pico came to place a memorial to the family and baby that lost their lives in flooding.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Kevin C. Downs for The New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI asked the police to go inside\u201d to check on the family, Pico said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey came in four or five cars.\u00a0Then they come ask me, \u2018You sure they are inside?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-nypost-small-post\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"231\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=231\" alt=\"Ang Gelu Lama (l), Mingma Sherpa (r) and Lobsang Lama.were unable to escape the rising water. \" class=\"wp-image-19355004\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=462 462w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=347 346w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=231 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=116 115w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/family1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px\"\/><figcaption>Ang Gelu Lama (l), Mingma Sherpa (r) and Lobsang Lama were unable to escape the rising water. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\"><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">facebook<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>When Pico told police she saw Lama come home, they allegedly replied,\u00a0\u201c\u2019No, we have to make sure,\u2019\u201d according to the concerned neighbor. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018Listen,\u2019 I yell at him. \u2018Go in, break it [the door], do something.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cops allegedly claimed only firefighters could force their way in for a rescue \u2014 but the FDNY did not arrive until well after 2 a.m., according to Pico, and by that time the family had already drowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very angry at the police because\u2026.the fire department doesn\u2019t come, okay, you take action,\u201d the emotional woman said, breaking down as she talked about her neighbors, who immigrated from Nepal and had young Lobsang in the US, she said.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, the NYPD said officers arrived at the home at 10 p.m. and found water levels two feet above street level with the basement \u201ccompletely submerged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cResponding officers immediately requested the response of ESU and NYC Fire Department dive teams to aid in the rescue effort. Upon arrival, ESU and Scuba Team personnel determined that the basement was unsafe for entry due to the high water levels and electricity still on throughout the residence,\u201d NYPD spokesman Sgt. Brendan Ryan wrote.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097816.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Nancy Pico said she pleaded with police to save her neighbors.\" class=\"wp-image-19354706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097816.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097816.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097816.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097816.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Nancy Pico said she pleaded with police to save her neighbors.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">KEVIN C DOWNS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt was determined that the best course of action would be to wait for the water levels to recede back to the street level and then utilize a pump to remove the excess water from the basement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Water levels receded to the street after 2 a.m. Thursday, the spokesman said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt this time FDNY utilized a pump to remove water from the basement,\u201d Ryan said.\u00a0\u201cOnce <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roximately five feet of water was removed from the basement, FDNY rescue divers made entry and recovered three individuals who were pronounced deceased at the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The FDNY confirmed they found the family dead when they arrived at about 2 a.m.<\/p>\n<p>Pico lit three candles for the victims at the scene of the tragedy Saturday and displayed a sign that read: \u201cYour voice is my voice. No rule should prevail over human life.\u00a0All government workers must!!!\u00a0Be prepared to act in the face of eminent danger.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"692\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/090321flood7jm.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Ang Gelu Lama, Mingma Sherpa, and Lobsang Lama died in the flooding at 44-60 64th St. in Flushing, Queens.\" class=\"wp-image-19354728\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/090321flood7jm.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/090321flood7jm.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/090321flood7jm.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/090321flood7jm.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Ang Gelu Lama, Mingma Sherpa, and Lobsang Lama died in the flooding at 44-60 64th St. in Flushing, Queens.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">James Messerschmidt for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A relative of the landlord who also lived in a separate basement apartment at the address had tried to help the family Wednesday night, but couldn\u2019t stave off the rising waters, Nico said.<\/p>\n<p>Building inspectors said Thursday the home was \u201cshaking\u201d and \u201cvibrating\u201d due to flood damage, but on Friday inspectors were not able to enter due to an NYPD investigation, records showed.<\/p>\n<p>An online fundraiser had garnered $23,000 in contributions for the family\u2019s funeral expenses in less than 24 hours<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy Aunt, Mingma, was the sole provider for her family in Nepal, which includes her mother and three younger siblings. She has no immediate family in the United States,\u201d the fundraising website read.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097824.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"The makeshift memorial left in Queens for the lives lost.\" class=\"wp-image-19354719\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097824.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097824.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097824.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/KevinCDowns__Flood_Queens_097824.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>The makeshift memorial left in Queens for the lives lost.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Kevin C. Downs for The New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re currently working with the Nepali consulate and embassy to bring her mother to the US for the funeral so she can see her daughter and her family one last time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eleven of the 13 people that died from the storm in New York City accidentally drowned in basement apartments, according to the city\u2019s medical examiner. In New Jersey, 27 people were killed by the storm.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/09\/05\/nypd-could-have-saved-queens-family-that-drowned-in-basement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#NYPD could have saved Queens family that drowned in basement&#8221; A grieving neighbor of a Queens family who died in their flooded basement apartment during Ida claims police passed up a chance to save the couple and toddler. Nancy Pico, 49, told The Post NYPD officers were evacuating the building during Wednesday\u2019s historic torrential flooding,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":335063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/09\/queens_family_hp.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[115466,70736,61184,33536,5044,11247,9891],"class_list":["post-335062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-9-5-21","tag-deaths","tag-fdny","tag-floods","tag-nypd","tag-queens","tag-rain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}