Devastating Bronx fire kills 17, including 9 children | Bronx Free Press
By Gregg McQueen
When Abibou Sawadogo opened her apartment door, all she saw was black.
Stirred on Sunday morning by a fire alarm, the Twin Parks North West resident unlocked the door to her 18th floor unit to gauge the situation.
“You couldn’t see anything, only black from the smoke,” said Sawadogo, who made a quick decision.
“I felt we had to run. I thought we’d be dead,” she remarked.
More than 200 firefighters responded to the scene to combat the January 9 blaze at, the Fire Department (FDNY) said, which broke out around 11 a.m. on Sunday at 333 East 181st Street, a 19-story building with 120 apartments.
The five-alarm fire left 17 people dead – including nine children – and dozens injured, one of the worst residential building fires in the city’s history.
Fire investigators have identified a malfunctioning portable space heater as the cause of the fire. A malfunctioning door to the apartment where the fire started failed to close properly, allowing smoke to travel throughout the building, the FDNY said.
Read more: Devastating Bronx fire kills 17, including 9 children | Bronx Free Press
Click below for a must-see piece on the fire courtesy of the indispensable Democracy Now.
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The post Devastating Bronx fire kills 17, including 9 children | Bronx Free Press first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.
Where Are They Now?: Rob Base – American Songwriter
Where Are They Now?: Rob Base American Songwriter
Honoring The Victims | The Manhattan Times
The following are the names of the 17 casualties, listed from the youngest, a two-year-old to the oldest, age 50.
- Ousmane Konteh, age 2, male
- Fatoumata Dukureh, age 5, female
- Omar Jambay, age 6, male
- Haouwa Mahamdou, age 5, female
- Mariam Dukureh, age 11, female
- Mustapha Dukyhreh, age 12, male
- Seydou Toure, age 12, male
- Muhammed Drammeh, age 12, male
- Nyumaaisha Drammeh, age 19, female
- Foutmala Drammeh, age 21, female
- Sera Janneh, age 27, female
- Isatou Jabbie, age 31, female
- Hagi Jawara, age 37, male
- Haja Dukureh, age 37, female
- Fatoumata Tunkara, age 43, female
- Haji Dukary, age 49, male
- Fatoumata Drammeh, age 50, female
Among the victims was Sera Janneh, a sophomore majoring in psychology at Lehman College, In a statement, the College noted that several additional Lehman students list the Twin Parks tower as their address.
“We are working to confirm that they are safe. Our deepest condolences to the Janneh Family and all of those who have lost friends and loved ones in Sunday’s fire,” read the statement. “Our hearts are among those mourning in the Bronx today.”
The College has posted a resource page with information on student emergency grants, including other resources available to those affected by the fire and where to donate. It can be found at www.lehman.edu/twin-parks.
Source: Honoring The Victims | The Manhattan Times
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The Tweet of the Week: #Facts
Donald Trump lost the popular vote both times he ran for president, was impeached twice, incited an insurrection, sexually assaulted dozens of women, and is under investigation for tax fraud and election tampering.
Republicans: "Trump 2024!"
— Middle Age Riot (@middleageriot) January 14, 2022
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UC Must-Reads: At ‘Touray Tower,’ the Broken Heart of New York’s Gambian Community
Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura penned a heart-breaking piece in The NY Times on how last week’s fire in the Bronx devastated the tight knit Gambian community. 333 East 181st Street was a haven for the Gambian community since the early 70’s.
Read more: UC Must-Reads: At ‘Touray Tower,’ the Broken Heart of New York’s Gambian Community
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#TheGramUptown: Shine Your Light
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