Holyoke Mom Who Threw Baby From Burning Building Recounts Rescue

HOLYOKE (CBS) - An 18-year-old Holyoke mom who had to throw her two-year-old daughter from a burning building on New Year's Day spoke out for the first time Friday at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

"She was telling me 'no mommy no don't let me go' and I was like 'you're gonna be alright baby you're gonna be alright,'" said mom Briana Serrano.

Serrano said it was the most terrifying decision of her life to toss her two-year-old daughter Aubrey out the window of her third floor apartment as it quickly filled with smoke and flames.

"There was a group of guys that held out a blanket and it was so terrifying, but I know I had to throw her out because that smoke it was so hard to breath," said Serrano.

The whole time the father of her child Eric Albarran shielded them from the fire.

"It was burning, but I didn't think it was that bad cause she was rubbing my back," said Eric Albarran.

Serrano said she knew they couldn't stay much longer so she jumped out onto a mattress allowing Eric to breath better out the small window until help arrived.

"I told him 'babe I have to jump,'" said Serrano.

Albarran was rescued by firefighters about five minutes later.

Holyoke Fire officials said the electrical fire started in a wall unit just before 9 a.m. on New Year's morning.

Three people died. Forty-nine others including the Briana, Eric and Aubrey lost everything.

"So the people that helped me, I thank God you guys were so beautiful, you have beautiful spirits. Thank you so much I wish I could repay you guys," said Serrano.

Albarran and Aubrey are OK and out of the hospital. Serrano is recovering from a broken tailbone and left elbow and is expected to be released from Baystate Medical Center in the coming days.