Rapper Cardi B, who was born in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood and raised in the Bronx, is covering funeral expenses for victims of an apartment fire that killed 17 people.
The “Up” artist released a statement Wednesday expressing sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, which unfolded Jan. 9 at a high-rise in the Bronx. Of the 17 who perished, eight were children.
“I’m extremely proud to be from the Bronx and I have lots of family and friends who live and work there still,” Cardi B said.
“So, when I heard about the fire and all of the victims, I knew I needed to do something to help. 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. I send my prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this horrific tragedy.”
In a statement to CNN, New York Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “grateful for Cardi B, a real superstar on and off the mic, for granting some critical financial relief to families of the victims.”
New York “will be forever thankful to her and also to the grassroots donors and corporate partners who have been able to offer immediate support for our neighbors in need, to reestablish themselves during this difficult time,” he added.
Earlier this month, the residential Bronx building became engulfed in smoke after an electric space heater malfunctioned and sparked a fire. The smoke spread throughout the structure after an apartment door, which should have been equipped to close automatically, did not shut itself behind the residents who fled the unit with the malfunctioning space heater.
The disaster, which drew about 200 firefighters, marked New York City’s deadliest blaze in three decades.
“It’s pretty remarkable that the failure of one door could lead to how many deaths we had here, but that’s the reality of it,” Glenn Corbett, a fire science professor at John Jay College in New York, told the Associated Press.
“That one door played a critical role in allowing the fire to spread and the smoke and heat to spread vertically through the building.”
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