Queens family of four killed in Turkey earthquake

A Queens family of four is among the thousands of people killed by the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this week, relatives have revealed.

Burak Firik, 35, his wife Kimberly, 32, and their two sons, Hamza, 2, and Bilal, 1,  were found beneath a collapsed five-story building in Turkey, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Kimberly’s father, Edwin Salazar.

“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,” the grieving father 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.” 

Burak’s mother also died in the quake, according to the fundraising page.

The young father had left his job to spend more time with his family and to travel. A month ago, the family left their home in Corona, Queens to visit Burak’s family in Elbistan, a town in southern Turkey, Kimberly’s sister, Salma Salazar told news station WPIX.

Their family in the US received updates from Burak’s father, who watched the building collapse with his family still inside from his car.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) confirmed the tragic news.

“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.

“We pray for Allah’s mercy for our brother Burak, his family, and all those who have returned to our Creator. Ameen.”

Money raised through the GoFundMe campaign will help support Burak’s family in Elbistan who lost their home and belongings in the tragedy. 

More than 20,000 people were killed after the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday.

The US State Department confirmed that Americans were among those killed in the horrific natural disaster.

“We can confirm reports of at least three US citizens killed in southeastern Turkey,” a department spokesperson told The Post Thursday.

“Our staff in Turkey and here in the United States are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to these victims and their family members,”

The spokesperson said the agency is working closely with local authorities as well as other partner organizations to provide aid to any US citizens in the affected region.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to the victims and to the families of all of those affected,” state department officials said.

The spokesperson was unable to confirm whether Firik or his family were part of the confirmed three deaths. The identities of the Americans killed overseas have not been released.

The scale of the loss across the two countries in wake of the earthquake is unimaginable, though video and images circulating online paint a grim picture of the total devastation.

Images show children, often separated from their families, covered in dust being pulled from beneath large piles of debris. One gut-wrenching clip shows all the dead lined up next to each other on the ground as men form graves using stones.

Thousands of people have been left homeless, many taking shelter in tents, stadiums, and other temporary accommodations while others have spent the nights outdoors despite frigid temperatures.

Thousands of buildings have collapsed across the two countries, prompting massive rescue efforts that have emergency response teams racing against the clock to try and locate victims who are still alive and stuck under the rubble.

Rescue missions in Syria have also been hindered by the ongoing war and isolation of the rebel-held region near the border, which is currently surrounded by Russia-backed government forces.

Authorities in Turkey said Thursday that the death toll had risen to more than 17,000 in the country, with over 64,000 injured. Across the border in Syria, counting both government-held and rebel-held areas, more than 3,000 have been reported dead and at least 5,000 injured.

The total death toll also surpassed the tally from an earthquake off the coast of Japan that triggered a tsunami and killed over 18,400 people in 2011.

Turkish officials say over 110,000 rescue personnel are currently working on the disaster response, and 95 countries have offered assistance.