Fundraiser Set Up For Mom Of Daughters Killed In Elizabeth Fire

ELIZABETH, NJ — In less than one day, nearly $25,000 has been raised for a grieving Elizabeth mother who lost her two daughters in a massive fire on Monday night.

A GoFundMe was set up for Merlyn Vasquez, 36, of Elizabeth who is currently hospitalized in Trinitas Medical Center and "fighting for her life". To donate to the GoFundMe click here.

"I know that nothing can alleviate the pain that is happening now, but as a community, we have to support her in these difficult moments," said fundraiser organizer Sherley Figueroa.

Around 6 p.m. on Monday, Vasquez was shopping with her two daughters Daniela Marquez, age 8, and Paola Marquez, age 10, and their friend Elizabeth Correas, age 11, when the fire broke out in the 800 block of Elizabeth Avenue to a mixed-use commercial property, Elizabeth Spokeswoman Kelly Martins said.

Candida Martinez-Del Reyes, 41, a mother and wife was also shopping in the store. A GoFundMe has also been set up for her family. Click here to donate.

The fire ignited from a soda machine on the bottom floor dollar/party store, and staff tried to put out the fire but couldn't, Martins said.

Vasquez, the kids, and Martinez-Del Reyes were inside the second-floor furniture store when the fire broke out and could not get down the stairs due to heavy smoke. They tried to get out of a gated door leading outside from the second floor but it was locked, Martins said.

An Elizabeth police officer who was in the area arrived first to the scene to find an adult woman and a child trying to get out but were unable to because of bars on the door, Martins said.

"He couldn't cut through the bars so they had to wait for the fire department to cut through and pull them out. The other child was pulled out through the front," Martins said.

Daniela and Paola along with Elizabeth Correas and Martinez-Del Reyes, all died as a result of the fire.

Additionally, a nearby apartment complex was evacuated and 21 residents were displaced as a result of the five-alarm fire. Those residents were put up in temporary housing, Martins said.

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