Dominican journalist Yolaine Díaz and mother killed in New York City apartment fire that left multiple dead and more than 100 displaced
Dominican journalist Yolaine Díaz and her mother were among three people killed in a fast-moving apartment building fire in New York City that also injured 14 others and displaced more than 100 residents.
The blaze broke out shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday in a six-story residential building on Dyckman Street near Broadway in Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood. Authorities said the fire began on the lower floors and quickly spread through an interior stairwell, reaching the roof as heavy smoke filled the structure.
Díaz, 49, a former fashion and beauty editor for People en Español, had emigrated from the Dominican Republic to New York as a teenager. She studied journalism at Lehman College in the Bronx and began her career as an intern before becoming a writer and digital editor focused on fashion and beauty. Over the years, she interviewed high-profile figures including Eva Longoria, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez.
Former colleagues described her as a vibrant presence with a distinctive style and strong professional voice, noting that she continued contributing to the magazine even after moving into other work.
Officials said Díaz and her mother, Ana Mirtha Lantigua, tried to escape through the building’s interior stairwell but were overcome by heavy smoke. A third victim also died in the fire. Díaz’s stepfather was able to escape using an exterior fire escape.
More than 200 firefighters responded to the scene as flames raced through the aging building, which houses both residential and commercial units and was built in 1910. Crews worked to contain the fire as conditions inside rapidly deteriorated.
Residents described waking to smoke and alarms and finding hallways engulfed in flames. Some were forced to flee through windows and fire escapes as visibility dropped to near zero. Others said they had little time to gather belongings as the fire spread floor to floor.
Fire safety officials said open apartment doors likely contributed to the rapid spread of smoke and flames, while units with closed doors sustained significantly less damage. The incident comes amid renewed public safety messaging following other recent fatal residential fires in the city.
Emergency responders, including the American Red Cross, assisted displaced residents with temporary shelter, blankets, and support services. Hospitals treated injured victims, some with serious burns, while families gathered anxiously for updates on loved ones.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire. City records reportedly show more than 100 building code violations tied to the property, raising questions about safety conditions leading up to the deadly blaze.
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