Senator Wants Army to Honor Soldier Who Died in NYC Fire

A 13th person has died from injuries suffered in one of New York City's deadliest fires in decades. Police say 27-year-old Holt Francis was critically injured in the Dec. 28 Bronx apartment building fire and died at a hospital on Thursday, the AP reports. They say the fire was caused by a 3-year-old boy playing with stove burners. Francis' wife, their two daughters, and a niece were also killed in the fire. Eight adults and five children died in the blaze.

Among them was 28-year-old Army National Guard soldier Emmanuel Mensah, who rescued at least four people that night before going back into the burning building and dying of smoke inhalation. Sen. Chuck Schumer has written to the Army, asking them to honor Mensah's bravery with a posthumous award, the New York Daily News reports. (More New York City stories.)