Overview
- An early Monday fire in a six-story Inwood, Manhattan building killed journalist Yolaine Díaz, 48, and her mother, Ana Mirtha Lantigua, 73, with a third resident also reported dead.
- FDNY says the blaze began on the first floor and raced up the building’s interior stairwell, channeling smoke and heat to the upper floors.
- Roughly 200 firefighters responded as crews evacuated residents, treated 14 people at the scene, and took nine to nearby hospitals with several listed in critical condition.
- The New York City Department of Buildings has opened an investigation into the cause and is reviewing the property’s record of safety violations.
- Díaz, a Dominican-born editor who rose at People en Español in fashion and beauty coverage, is being mourned by colleagues who praised her talent and warmth.