Turkey/Syria earthquake: Family from NYC among victims killed in Turkey

NEW YORK — A family of four from New York City is among the more than 20,000 people killed in Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria.

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations confirmed the death of its former board member, Burak Firik, 35, WABC-TV reported. Firik, from Queens, was killed in Turkey along with his wife Kimberly, 32, and their sons, 2-year-old Hamza and 1-year-old Bilal, according to WPIX-TV.

“It is with sadness we announce that former CAIR-NY Board Member, Burak Firik, and his wife and two baby children, passed away in the earthquake in Turkey,” CAIR-NY said in a statement. “We pray for Allah’s mercy for our brother Burak, his family, and all those who have returned to our Creator. Ameen.

The family left their home in the Corona neighborhood of Queens to visit Burak Firik’s family in Elbistan, Turkey, family members told the television station. The Firiks were on the top floor of a five-story building when the catastrophic earthquake hit

Ten provinces in Turkey were impacted by the earthquake, CNN reported.

Salma Salazar, the sister of Kimberly Firik, was in Queens with family members. She said that Burak Firik’s father was in a vehicle outside the building when the earthquake caused the building to crash, WPIX reported.

Kimberly Firik’s father, Edwin Salazar, started a GoFundMe page to help Burak Firik’s family.

“My grandchildren were only 2 years old and 1 year old, and I can’t wrap my mind around this tragedy that will forever impact our family,” Edwin Salazar wrote. “I keep imagining that they will be coming back to our home in NY and hearing the sound of their footsteps and laughter at our breakfast table … but I know this will only be in my dreams now.”