Police have identified the 17 people who perished in Sunday’s devastating Bronx fire that engulfed an apartment building with killer smoke.
An investigation into the Jan. 9 inferno continues as fire marshals attempt to discover how a self-closing door malfunctioned and remained open, allowing smoke to travel throughout the 19-story building to ultimately claim the lives of 17 residents and injure some 60 others. Something as simple as a door failed a widely immigrant community, resulting in heartbreak felt not only in the borough, but around the world as well.
According to a list of the deceased’s names released by the NYPD, entire family units were lost in the devastating blaze. Below are the names of the individuals impacted by the fire and their relationships.
amNewYork Metro spoke with Famta Varrow, whose cousins Sera Janneh, 27, and Aisha Janneh, 19, were victims of the deadly fire. Sera Janneh died in the fire, while Aisha Janneh has been intubated at a local hospital. According to a GoFundMe post by Maream Janneh, their family has lost their home, the life of Sera, and three of their children and parents have been displaced.
The Janneh family is one of many impacted by the deadly fire who have created GoFundMe accounts to aid with burial costs, medical expenses, and housing. Some individuals lost multiple relatives, such as Fatimah Drammeh, whose mother Fatoumata Drammeh (50) perished, along with her sisters Nyumaaisha Drammeh (19) and Foutmala Drammeh (21), and little brother Muhammed Drammeh (12). Her 16-year-old brother, Yagub Drammeh was the only one fortunate enough to be rescued from the building and has been hospitalized.
Haji Jawara, 47, and Isatou Jabbie, 31, are two parents who died in the deadly fire leaving four children orphaned.
Fatoumata Sankanu is a mother of four children, and while she was working, she left them with a relative at Twin Parks North West on the 19th floor. Her two-year-old son Ousmane Konteh along with his aunt and cousin did not survive. His aunt, Fatoumata Tunkara, 43, is a mother of four children, she and her son Omar Jambang, 6, perished in the fire. Tunkara leaves behind Abdullah Cham (19), Fatima Cham (16) Muhammed Cham (14) Miriam (9), as well as another child in Gambia. The family is asking for donations to support the children as well as to bring Fatoumata and Omar’s body back to Gambia for burial.
A family of five: Parents Haji Dukary, 49, and his wife Haja Dukureh (37) perished in the fire along with their children Mustapha Dukureh (12), Mariam Dukureh (11) and Fatoumata Dukureh (5).
Mahamadou Toure lost his two children Seydou Toure, 12, and Haouwa Mahamadou, 5, who were taken to a local hospital but succumbed to their injuries.
