Following an early morning, Nov. 24th, residential fire in which two people died at 1730 Harrison Avenue in Morris Heights, the FDNY is encouraging the public to check out their fire safety tips, while a GoFundMe page has been set-up to support the victims of the tragedy.

The FDNY reported on social media that the department called on all hands to respond to a multiple dwelling at 1730 Harrison Avenue at around 5.33 a.m. on Nov. 24. They later reported, again on social media, that the fire was under control at around 6.20 a.m.

When contacted by Norwood News for more information about the incident, an FDNY official said they received a call at 5.26 a.m., Nov 24,  regarding a fire which had broken out on the 2nd floor of 1730 Harrison Avenue in Morris Heights.

They said 12 units, comprising 60 firefighters responded to the blaze which was in a 5-story building (200 x 80 ft. sq.) They said 4 patients were transported to area hospitals, two to St. Barnabas, one to Bronx Lebanon, and one to Jacobi Medical Center.

They added that the fire was brought under control at 6.19 a.m., and the cause of fire is under investigation

NBC NY reported that a spokesperson for the NYPD later confirmed two deaths in connection to the fire. “One of the victims was a 24-year-old woman and the other was a 60-year-old man,” it was reported. The NY Post reported that Perfecto Aramboles and his daughter, Odalys Aramboles, had died in the blaze. We asked the FDNY for more information as whether all four people were alive at the time they were transferred to the local hospitals or not and will update this story should we receive confirmation.

District 14 City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez later said she went door to door to check on the community later that morning, after she said the neighborhood lost two community members in what she described as an electrical fire. “The other members of the family are in critical condition,” she said. “The cause of fire is still under investigation.”

The GoFundMe page was created later that day by Michelle Guzman, on behalf of her cousin, Martina Suarez, and details were provided in both English and Spanish.

NEW podcast episode is up! In this episode of the FDNY Smart Podcast for Kids! our special guest, Battery Man, provides important #FDNYSmart tips on how to use lithium-ion batteries safely. Be #FDNYSmart and listen on https://t.co/yDh9Jj8GAU or however you stream podcasts. pic.twitter.com/1rRFlCxC9d

— Siren (@SirenFDNY) November 30, 2022

Guzman wrote, “Regardless of how we prepare ourselves for death and grief, we are never truly ready for the pain of losing a loved one,” the page reads. ‘This morning, the Bronx apartment of my aunt, Lorenza, caught fire. Inside was my aunt, two of her daughters, Odalys and Rosanna, and my uncle, Perfecto, known as Jose.”

The post continued, “My aunt, Lorenza, and cousin, Rosanna, are currently hospitalized and in critical condition. The hope is that they will be able to recuperate. With pain in my heart, I confirm that my cousin, Odalys, and uncle, Jose, did not survive this horrific fire. Odalys was autistic and truly a walking angel. My uncle, Jose, was a good man who stood by his family through it all.”

Guzman added, “Words cannot describe how much they were loved, and how much they will be missed. Unfortunately, they lost all of their belongings and their home after this devastating event. On this Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks for our lives and the opportunities we’ve received, but we are also overcome with sadness and tragedy. I am fundraising on behalf of my cousin, Martina Suarez, who is also Lorenza’s daughter. Please help her lessen the financial burden that awaits. Anything you can offer will be appreciated.”

Guzman provided an update on Nov. 27, writing, “Thank you so much to everyone that has been praying, sharing, and donating. My family and I will forever be grateful. I am certain Martina will have some financial relief with what has been and continues to be raised. God bless you and your families!”

Did you know you can access fire and life safety tips in more than 100 languages on https://t.co/jfgdXTntrD? Be #FDNYSmart and check out the website today! pic.twitter.com/riY6LyMYAa

— Hot Dog (@HotDogFDNY) November 29, 2022

Meanwhile, in response to the fatal fire, the FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit set up a stand to share safety information on Nov. 25 until 2 p.m. in front of 1717 University Avenue in the Bronx.

As the holiday season continues, FDNY officials are also reminding residents of some safety tips to remember when cooking. “Stay in the kitchen. Don’t leave cooking food unattended,” they said.  

Three other local fires were reported in recent days. A non-fatal fire broke out at 236 Loring Place in the University Heights section of the Bronx resulted in one person being transported to Jacobi Medical Center, while the cause is still under investigation.

Meanwhile, two fires were reported on Valentine Avenue, also on Saturday, Dec. 3, one in Mt. Hope and one in Fordham Heights. No injuries were reported in either incident and the cause of both fires is still under investigation.

In other FDNY-related news, five new bills were signed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Nov 28, with the goal of strengthening the FDNY through diversity initiatives, amid reports of lack of racial diversity within the department generally, and also amid reports that some female members of the department were, at times, left feeling uncomfortable in their work environment, particularly when it came to privacy.

The bills in the package, sponsored by Speaker Adrienne Adams, Queens Council Member Joann Ariola, District 12 Bronx Council Member Kevin Riley and Queens Council Member Nantasha Williams, seek to address the historic lack of racial and gender diversity in the FDNY. City officials said the legislation addresses the recruitment and retention of diverse firefighters, confronts exclusionary practices that undermine diversity, and requires more transparency within the FDNY, which for the first time ever, since Oct. 27, 2022, is officially led by a woman, Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.

Specifically, the bills would require FDNY to develop a concrete plan to recruit and retain women and people of color as firefighters, take actions to retrofit firehouses to serve a mixed gender workforce, increase transparency on the demographics of firehouses through public reporting, require ongoing training on harassment, diversity and inclusion for all FDNY staff, and submit a public report on complaints filed with the Department’s Equal Employment Opportunities Office.

“New York City’s firefighters protect our city and save lives every single day, yet it remains clear that FDNY is not representative of our city’s diversity,” said the speaker in the context of the announcement. “I’m proud these new laws passed by the council and signed today help advance the department’s recruitment and retention of women and people of color from all communities as firefighters.”

She continued, “This package of bills becoming law marks a significant step forward to ensure that New York’s Bravest are more equitably composed of people from New York City’s entire gorgeous mosaic. I thank my colleagues in the council for working collaboratively to pass this important legislation and Mayor Adams for signing the bills into law.”

Introduction 516-A, sponsored by the speaker, would require the FDNY, in consultation with the City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (ACS), to develop and implement a plan for the recruitment and retention of firefighters from underrepresented groups within the department — female firefighters and firefighters of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. FDNY would also be required to report annually on its efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented firefighters.

Five new bills were signed by @NYCMayor Eric Adams yesterday, with the goal of strengthening the #FDNY through diversity initiatives. Read more: https://t.co/wCF8JzLU0F pic.twitter.com/f4OQLdN90w

— FDNY (@FDNY) November 29, 2022

519-A, sponsored by Ariola, would require the FDNY to survey each firehouse to determine the permanent facility upgrades necessary to create a workplace environment that facilitates use by a mixed gender workforce, and employ interim measures, including erecting physical barriers, in locations awaiting such upgrades.

Upon completing the survey, the department would be required to report its findings to the council and mayor, specifically detailing the permanent facility upgrades necessary at each firehouse, as well as providing information related to any current or forthcoming construction plans to make relevant upgrades, and any interim measures taken at firehouses to accommodate a mixed gender workforce until permanent upgrades are made.

Introduction 552-A, sponsored by Riley, would require the FDNY to produce an annual report on the number of firefighters assigned to each fire company and special operations unit, within the department, disaggregated by the gender and race or ethnicity of such firefighters. Additionally, FDNY will be required to provide demographic information of the population residing in the immediate service area of each fire company in the City.

Introduction 553-A, also sponsored by Riley, would require the FDNY in consultation with the ACS, to develop and implement a plan for providing ongoing training and education to all employees regarding diversity and inclusion, including annual training on the department’s anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.

Additional interactive training would be required at firehouses where incidents of harassment and discrimination take place on multiple occasions. The fire department would also be required to post a report each year on its website regarding efforts taken to implement such training.

Introduction 560-A, sponsored by Williams, would require the FDNY to produce an annual report on complaints filed with the department’s equal employment opportunity office regarding potential violations of the City’s equal employment opportunity policy. The report will include information on the number of complaints that were received and closed during the prior year; information on types of misconduct alleged in such complaints; and case outcomes, including any corrective action taken by the department.

Reacting to the bills’ passage, Riley, who is the co-chair of the council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, said, “As co-chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, it is a priority for this city that all legislation passed through the council upholds a true means of diversity and inclusion that seeks to benefit and protect all New Yorkers.”

He added, “I am honored to stand alongside the mayor and my colleagues at the signing of this legislative package that will transform the lack of diversity and inclusion within the FDNY. My bills, Int. 552-A and 553-A, further support this goal through annual demographics reporting and ongoing training for all fire department employees — opening clear measures for transparency and accountability.”

Riley concluded, “Today, we make our mark to address generations of systemic disparities within our infrastructure, as well as to create more welcoming and safe workplaces for all New Yorkers. Thank you Mayor Adams for signing this transformative bill package into law, and for the continued partnership with the New York City Council to support a more equitable city.”

Residents can visit http://fdnysmart.org for more safety tips.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.