Bronx fire victims to receive help from Cardi B, who will pay for funeral costs

Cardi B plans to cover funeral costs for victims of the Bronx apartment fire that left 17 dead, including eight children, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office announced Wednesday.

The Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer, whose real name is Belcalis Almánzar and grew up in the Bronx, has committed to paying for the burials and repatriation expenses for victims buried in the Gambia through the Mayor’s Fund’s Bronx relief fund, which has raised more than $2.5 million to date.

The funds help the families who lost loved ones as young as 2 years old and the oldest being 50 at the Jan. 9 fire that is considered New York City’s deadliest in decades. Many had roots in the Gambia.

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In a statement, Cardi B, who also owns a home in Teafly, New Jersey, touted her Bronx upbringing. The 29-year-old grew up in the Highbridge neighborhood, just southwest of where the fire occurred at the Twin Parks Northwest Building.

“When I heard about the fire and all of the victims, I knew I needed to do something to help,” she said. “I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish that the families of the victims are experiencing, but I hope that not having to worry about the costs associated with burying their loved ones will help as they move forward and heal.”

The fire started from an apartment's malfunctioning space heater that fumed smoke throughout the 19-story building. Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said two self-closing doors – one at the unit where the fire started and the other at the 15th-floor stairwell – did not shut properly, allowing the smoke to spread. All 17 people died from smoke inhalation, according to the city's Chief Medical Examiner's Office.

Families lost multiple members due to the fire. The Dukuray family lost parents and three children, one as young as 5 years old, while Fatoumata Drammeh, 50, died along with her three children who were between 12 and 21.

City officials thanked Cardi B for her commitment to the families.

"The resilience of this city reflects everyday New Yorkers who never turn their back on one another," Mayor Adams said in a statement. "We are grateful for Cardi B, a real superstar on and off the mic, for granting some critical financial relief to families of the victims."

Ryan W. Miller of USA Today contributed to this report.

Eduardo Cuevas covers diversity, equity and inclusion in Westchester and Rockland counties. He can be reached at EMCuevas1@lohud.com and followed on Twitter @eduardomcuevas.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Cardi B to pay funeral costs for Bronx fire victims, NYC mayor says