Neighbors of Chestnut Street fire victims set up GoFundMe

Matthew Ferreira, Standard-Times
·3 min read

NEW BEDFORD — A resident of the neighborhood around 260 Chestnut St., site of last week's deadly house fire, says a small group of neighbors have come together to start a GoFundMe page to help the adult couple and their two young children who lived there with the financial struggles they suddenly face after being displaced.

According to neighbor Shannon Alban, named on the GoFundMe page as its organizer, the two residents who died in the April 20 fire, Radames Lopez Mendrez, 78, and Eneida Gonzalez Mangual, 79, were grandparents of the displaced couple's two young daughters.

"They don't have a ton of family here," Alban said of the couple, who prefer to keep their identities private, noting the family is from Puerto Rico and have had to stay in a hotel since the fire.

"When they ran out of the house, they didn't have their phones, they had to go to the RMV for IDs. Red Cross gave them maybe $600 but they need to get an apartment, the girls lost all their clothes, they need meals; they have very little to live on currently."

And on top of it all, there's funeral costs for two.

Neighborly care

Alban, who says she'd left home about an hour before the fire, said she was alerted to it by frantic calls from neighbors. She describes the neighborhood as close-knit, where neighbors don't hesitate to say "hi," and enjoy each other's company at summer barbecues.

Take a look back: 2nd victim dies Friday after Chestnut Street house fire in New Bedford; Both victims ID'd

"I live on a really cool block where everyone talks," she said. "Four of us ... saw they [the fire victims] really needed help so we set this up."

As of Wednesday, the page had raised $2,480 out of a $10,000 goal.

Deceased couple were together over six decades

Eneida Gonzalez Mangual, 79, left, and Radames Lopez Mendrez, 78, were married for 54 years. The couple died while trapped in a house fire at their residence at 260 Chestnut St., New Bedford. Now, the family members who lived with them at the address are in need of financial help after being displaced, neighbors say.
Eneida Gonzalez Mangual, 79, left, and Radames Lopez Mendrez, 78, were married for 54 years. The couple died while trapped in a house fire at their residence at 260 Chestnut St., New Bedford. Now, the family members who lived with them at the address are in need of financial help after being displaced, neighbors say.

According to their obituaries, Mendrez and Mangual were married for 54 years and together for 61. Mendrez, born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam before working as a Certified Public Accountant. Mangual was born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, and is described as "a loving and caring wife, mother and grandmother," who "enjoyed playing Bingo, crossword puzzles, sewing and was an excellent cook."

Cause of fire undetermined

On Friday, investigators had announced the cause of the fire "will remain officially undetermined," noting that no evidence was found that it was set intentionally, "and the potential factors were accidental."

March 28 fire victims need help, too: Are New Bedford rooming house fire victims on a countdown to homelessness?

To donate

To make a donation to the 260 Chestnut St. fire victims, go online and visit the GoFundMe page at tinyurl.com/2d38psbz.

To donate to the victims of the March 28 fire at 1301-1307 Acushnet Ave., visit riseupforhomes.com/donate, or mail/drop off a check, written out to "fire victims, to the Inter Church Council of Greater New Bedford, 128 Union St., New Bedford, MA, 02740.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: GoFundMe set up for displaced Chestnut Street fire victims