The first fire occurred in the basement of a three-story house at 46 Brook Street on Staten Island , in the Stapleton Houses in Tompkinsville , shortly after 1 a.m. At least three families that lived in the house managed to escape , but Maud Alberta Coberland and her 5-year-old daughter , Lindsey , who arrived in this country from Haiti six months ago , became trapped in their first-floor room , neighbors said .