Cardi B Offers To Pay Funeral Costs For 17 Victims Killed In Bronx Fire

Cardi B is stepping up to help out the families whose loved ones perished in the Bronx apartment fire earlier this month.

On Wednesday, the 29-year-old rapper — who grew up in the Bronx — announced in a press release that she is covering the funeral expenses for the 17 victims killed in the fire on January 9.

The WAP rapper and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City partnered to foot the cost for the families through the Bronx Fire Relief Fund; she also plans on aiding with the repatriation expenses for some of the people who will be buried in The Gambia, a country in West Africa. Offering her “prayers and condolences” to those impacted by the deadly blaze, Cardi said in a statement:

“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. 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.”

Mayor Eric Adams also expressed how “grateful” he was about the magnanimous contributions in his own statement, saying:

“The resilience of this city reflects everyday New Yorkers who never turn their back on one another. We are grateful for Cardi B, a real superstar on and off the mic, for granting some critical financial relief to families of the victims. The city 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.”

.@iamcardib is a superstar on and off the mic who makes the Bronx and our city proud every day, and we're so grateful to her and the grassroots donors who have stood up for everyone affected by last week's tragic fire.

You can still help. Visit https://t.co/osJkcX5T5m pic.twitter.com/K0IVEORdIy

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 19, 2022

As you may know, the city’s deadliest blaze in the last three decades tore through the 19-story apartment building earlier this month, injuring many and claiming the lives of 17 people, whose ages ranged from 2 to 50. The Associated Press reported that authorities say the flames started from a faulty electrical space heater. And according to People, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner previously revealed that the victims passed away from smoke inhalation in the fire.

Those who lost their lives included: Fatoumata Drammeh, Foutmala Drammeh, Muhammed Drammeh, Nyumaaisha Drammeh, Sera Janneh, Seydou Toure, Haouwa Mahamadou, Haji Dukary, Haja Dukureh, Mustapha Dukureh, Mariam Dukureh, Fatoumata Dukureh, Omar Jambang, Fatoumata Tunkara, Isatou Jabbie, Hagi Jawara, and Ousmane Konteh.

Following the incident, Adams did not mince words in his news conference, sharing that the fire was “going to be one of the worst fires we have witnessed in modern times here in the City of New York.” He then added at the time:

“We are going to do everything we can to bring services on the ground here to give them the assistance they need as we all recover from the trauma of what we are witnessing here in the buildings behind us.”

Here’s hoping this donation from Cardi brings some relief for the families following this awful tragedy.

[Image via MEGA/WENN/ABC7NY/YouTube]