Heroism in action

Yaneisha Harrison (far r.) braved fire yesterday
to rescue five cousins (from l.), Keyanne, 11; Kaydiann,
4; Kevon, 5; Keyron, 7, and Jaden, 11 months

Teen saves 5 from fire

Reentered flaming home 4 times

BY JIMMY VIELKIND and DAVE GOLDINER
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
.
A quick-thinking Brooklyn teenager nicknamed "Toughie" rescued her five younger cousins - including an infant - yesterday from a fire that swept through their East Flatbush home as they slept.

Time after time, Yaneisha Harrison, 18, defied flames and smoke to go back inside the house and pluck the kids - ranging in age from 11 months to 11 years - to safety.

....................

Keyanne Harrison, 11, admitted being terrified by the fire, but said her cousin kept her cool and averted a tragedy that could have wiped out the family.

"She helped me," Keyanne said. "Yeah, she's a hero."

Yaneisha, her cousins and their father were all sleeping in their home on E. 52nd St. when Keyanne smelled smoke and woke up her older cousin in another room around 9 a.m.

"They were all in there sleeping," Yaneisha said. "One of the girls said she smelled smoke."

................................

"I was scared, I was nervous," said Yaneisha.

"All I could think about was how I could get them out of the house."

....................................

"I had to go back four times and there was more smoke and fire each time," she said. "It was running on the roof and the wall."

Fire officials said they were called to the one-alarm blaze at 9:18 a.m. About 60firefighters responded and declared the fire under control at 9:47 a.m.

............