Overview
- Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña confirmed that four members of a family from Lawrence, Massachusetts, died after a fire at a rental in Barahona in the Dominican Republic.
- A family GoFundMe names victims as Luzy, Pancracia and Jhoselin and reports that one of the fatalities was a 5-year-old boy; those details are sourced to the family fundraiser and have limited independent confirmation.
- The GoFundMe and family members say several relatives suffered severe injuries, including second- and third-degree burns and a collapsed lung, and that others remain hospitalized for smoke inhalation and respiratory problems.
- Mayor DePeña is coordinating with Senator Ed Markey’s office to contact Dominican authorities to seek a prompt investigation and to secure consular and medical assistance for survivors.
- Reporting stresses this Barahona family tragedy is separate from a larger, unrelated blaze that destroyed the Viva Dominicus resort in Bayahibe, and updates may follow as Dominican officials or consular offices release official findings.