Cardi B to Pay Funeral Costs for the 17 Victims of Tragic Bronx Apartment Fire
Cardi B is lending a heartwarming helping hand to the victims of the tragic Bronx apartment fire that took 17 lives earlier this month.
Today (Jan. 19), news emerged that the rapper will be covering victims' funeral costs after they died as a result of a massive high-rise building fire on Jan. 9. The blaze was caused by faulty space heater in one apartment, which was being used because the building reportedly was not providing adequate heat. The fire killed over a dozen people from smoke inhalation as thick-smoke filled the hallways and stairwells.
A statement from Cardi, also a native of the New York City borough, provided by her rep, said, "I'm extremely proud to be from the Bronx and I have lots of family and friends who live and work there still."
"So, when I heard about the fire and all of the victims, I knew I needed to do something to help," Cardi continued. "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."
CNN reports that Cardi B has teamed up with the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City to ensure that the families impacted by the tragedy would benefit from her donation, adding that she wants to ensure that "the final wishes for their loved ones were met."
Cardi is no stranger to acts of selflessness. At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, she donated 20,000 meals to doctors in New York City back in 2020.
As of Sunday, fundraisers have collected $400,000 so far. The Mayor's Fund, Bank of America and other groups assisting with relief efforts will be giving the 118 displaced families $2,250 in aid. Governor Kathy Hochul has also announced that $2 million in assistance is available to help tenants impacted by the fire.
According to NPR on Jan. 12, the victims, mostly of Gambian descent and range in age from 2 to 50 years old, are listed as: Isatou Jabbie, 31, Hagi Jawara, 47, Ousmane Konteh, 2, Sera Janneh, 27, Seydou Toure, 12, Haouwa Mahamadou, 5, Haji Dukuray, 49, Haja Dukureh, 37, Mustapha Dukureh, 12, Mariam Dukureh, 11, Fatoumata Dukureh, 5, Fatoumata Drammeh, 50, Foutmala Drammeh, 21, Muhammed Drammeh, 12, Nyumaaisha Drammeh, 19, Omar Jambang, 6 and Fatoumata Tunkara, 43.
ABC News also reported that a mass funeral was held for 15 victims in the Bronx on Sunday (Jan. 16). The close-knit West African community gathered for prayer and mourning as 15 caskets were lined up in front of the Islamic Cultural Center, where the service was held.
Funeral services for two children took place at a mosque in Harlem last week.
Although the funerals have already taken place for the victims, Cardi's donation could possibly serve as reimbursement of some sort.
Fat Joe, another Bronx native, has also partnered up with the Mayor Fund and raised at least $1 million for the victims, with help from Jay-Z, DJ Khaled, New York's Pix11 reports.
The investigation into the 19-story fire, the city's deadliest in three decades, is ongoing.