GoFundMe Set For Family Of Children Who Died In Jersey City Fire

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has encouraged people to donate to a GoFundMe set up for the family of and 11-year-old girl and 8-month-old baby boy who died in a fire in Jersey City apartment Wednesday night.

Fire officials said they believe the 11-year-old girl, Desire Reid, died trying to save baby brother Keyon Robinson's life.

The children's mother and their 6-year-old brother were able to escape the blaze, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

Various news reports said that the mother tried to go back inside to save the children, but the door locked behind her.

A Jersey City teacher's union created the GoFundMe Thursday. By Friday morning it had raised $10,000 of a $20,000 goal.

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop Tweeted, "Yesterday we had a terrible tragedy in Jersey City where two young children passed away in a fire. It is nothing short of heartbreaking. Thank you to the JCEA for organizing."

The GoFundMe page is here.

The Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force and the Jersey City Fire Department are investigating the origins of the blaze.

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said that just after 11:30 p.m., the Jersey City Fire Department responded to 470 Martin Luther King Drive. They found a "heavy fire and smoke conditions that was confined to a single apartment."

Desire was pronounced deceased at the scene. Keyon was transported to Jersey City Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at 12:24 a.m.

The fire was reported under control by 12:07 a.m.

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