Bronx Fire: Mass Funeral Held, Hochul Pledges $2M For Tenants

BRONX, NY — A mass funeral was held at a Bronx mosque Sunday morning for 15 of the 17 victims from last week's deadly apartment fire as family, friends and community members mourned the loss of life in the horrific blaze.

The Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx hosted the service for nine adults and six children that were killed, drawing hundreds of people wishing to pay their respects, according to The Daily News.

Sunday’s mass funeral capped a week of prayers and mourning within a close-knit community hailing from West Africa, most with connections to the small country of Gambia — where four of the victims would be buried, officials said. Eleven of the victims were transported to a cemetery in New Jersey.

Earlier in the week, burial services were held for two children at a mosque in Harlem, The Associated Press reported.

The service included remarks from several political and religious leaders including ICCB Shiekh Musa Drammeh and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. A Janazah, an Islamic funeral prayer, was held after the public remarks.

ICBB also iterated its intention to continue working with nonprofits and government officials to help those affected by the fire.

“I personally would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for the amazing
humanitarian services nonprofits and city governments rendered so far on behalf of the
affected families and our community in general," Drammeh said in a news release. "You have set the tone. You have made the difference. You have mitigated the pain and suffering. And our Creator will handsomely reward our neighborly deeds, as He promised."

The fire was started by a malfunctioning space heater, according to FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, and made worse by a faulty self-closing door that failed to contain the fire.

Also Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $2 million in assistance to help tenants impacted by the fire. The funds will come from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Emergency Needs for the Homeless Program as well as the New York State Homes and Community Renewal's Housing Trust Fund Corporation.

The OTDA will contract the nonprofit BronxWorks to help victims with case management services, personal property replacement, relocation assistance, rental assistance, burial assistance among other forms of support and financial assistance, according to the release.

"When I met the tenants affected by the apartment fire in the Bronx, including many who immigrated to our state with hopes of finding a better life, I could see the unspeakable pain in their eyes, and I pledged to help them recover," Hochul said. "All those affected are part of our New York State family, and we will help give them the support they need to recover. I want those impacted to know that we will not forget you, we will not abandon you, we are here for you."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related coverage:

• Closing Door Violations Plagued Bronx Fire Building: Report, Data
• NYC Steps Up Aid, Donations For Bronx Fire Victims
• Bronx Fire Updates: Death Toll Could Still Rise, Mayor Adams Says
• Deadly Bronx Fire Kills 19, Injures Dozens More: Officials