By On Sunday, January 9, 2022, families in the 19-story Twin Parks North West Building in the Bronx, New York City, woke up to flames. An electric space heater had caught fire in a duplex; the doors of the apartment and the stairwell were open, even though the doors were supposed to close automatically.
The smoke spread quickly to other floors. The building turned into an inferno and claimed the lives of 17 people. All of them were Black Muslim immigrants; the majority of them from The Gambia and other West African countries.
According to the New York Chief Medical examiner, all 17 victims died of smoke inhalation. Eight of the victims were children. The youngest victim was only two years old. This tragedy sheds light on an all too familiar reality for Black Muslim immigrants; one where they become trapped in a system that does everything but values them.
The community surrounding Twin Parks Northwest had been home to generations of Gambian immigrants. The U.S. is home to more than 8,000 Gambian immigrants. A tight-knit community, they often shared meals with each other and celebrated Eid together. Even though they may not have the support of people on the outside, they had each other.
Like the families before them, they come here with nothing more than hope and dedication. They work on the frontlines, often taking on two or three jobs to support their families. They fight through pain and suffering because it means getting one step closer to their dreams.
Like the families before them, they come here with nothing more than hope and dedication. They work on the frontlines, often taking on two or three jobs to support their families. They fight through pain and suffering because it means getting one step closer to their dreams.
They are forced into poor living conditions and abuse because they have no other choice. But still, they work every day to build a better life for themselves and their families. No one works as hard as the person who had nothing — but deserves everything.
And how do we repay them? Paying them below minimum wages. Exploiting their labor. Denying access to essential items like food and water. Taking away opportunities for growth. Failing to maintain safety standards in their homes. Subjecting them to racist and demeaning attacks.
We claim we support immigrants. We boast about how immigrants are the makeup of this country. Every time they need us most, we fail them. The worst part is not that we let communities like the Twin Parks community down. We have all the resources to change their lives, but we choose not to.
A lawsuit has been initiated by tenants of the building and victims’ families seeking nearly 2 billion in damages for negligence. There are allegations against the building owners that they were negligent in maintaining the smoke detectors, failed to provide adequate heat, and failed to have an intercom system and sprinklers.
Before the tragedy, the association had received a complaint about a defective self-closing door and at least four heat-related complaints. The survivors talked about how they would have to go to sleep in hoodies, socks, and several blankets just to stay warm. The owners were on notice, yet they failed to take any action.
We claim we support immigrants. We boast about how immigrants are the makeup of this country. Every time they need us most, we fail them. The worst part is not that we let communities like the Twin Parks community down. We have all the resources to change their lives, but we choose not to.
If these complaints were filed in an apartment building in Manhattan, they would be addressed immediately. Because most residents are Caucasian, wealthy, and privileged. They don’t have to worry about whether they will have electricity that night. They don’t have to worry about staying warm. They have the freedom of choosing where to live, to move to another city, or even another country, if they wanted to.
What hurts the most is the fact that this should never have happened; it’s easy to forget about something you never cared for in the first place.
The families deserve justice. They deserve to be heard and made whole again. This fire did more than just take the lives of innocent people – it has destroyed a community. This tragedy will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Nothing will ever be the same.
After a week of prayers, the Bronx community came together to lay their loved ones to rest. There were 15 caskets lined in front of the Islamic Cultural Center. Hundreds of people gathered outside to pay their respects to the victims.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and New York Attorney General Letitia James attended the service as well.
There has been public outcry over the tragedy, and the community has come together to support the victims in any way they can — including an outpouring of support from Grammy-winning artist Cardi B, who has offered to pay the burial costs for all the victims’ families.
In a statement, she expressed her connection to the community, “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,” she added.
Within the Muslim community, there has been solidarity and support for the victims. Including Omar Suleiman, Khaled Beydoun, and CAIR all releasing statements about the tragedy. But this is not enough.
For a tragedy of this magnitude, the outcry, and support should have been globalized from the start. By failing to speak out, by staying quiet, not taking action, we are part of the problem; we are actively contributing to the continued abuse, racism, and neglect that our brothers and sisters face. By turning a blind eye to their suffering, we become no different than everyone else.
Do not forget, Black Muslims are part of the Ummah too. These are our brothers and sisters. They have been with us since the beginning. They fought and struggled and laughed and celebrated with us. The least we can do is advocate for them and stand by them when they need us most.
We would do anything to help our families; this should not be any different. Every time a Muslim body is laid to rest, the chances of that being someone you know increases tenfold. Now is the time to raise our voices in solidarity. We must act and be part of the movement to end the abuse and systematic racism our brothers and sisters face.
The next few days will be the hardest. In a few weeks, things won’t get easier. The loss of friends and family will never leave the Gambian community. But we can find solace in each other, in healing, in Allah.
In remembrance of the victims. You are loved. You are inspirational. You are deserving of Jannah.
Ousmane Konteh – 2 years old
Haouwa Mahamadou – 5 years old
Fatoumata Dukurays – 5 years old
Omar Jamband – 6 years old
Mariam Dukurays – 11 years old
Seydou Toure – 12 years old
Muhammed Drammeh – 12 years old
Mustapha Dukurays – 12 years old
Nyumaaisha Drammeh – 19 years old
Fatoumala Drammeh – 21 years old
Sera Janneh – 27 years old
Isatou Jabbie – 31 years old
Haja Dukurays – 37 years old
Fatoumata Tunkara – 43 years old
Hagi Jawara – 47 years old
Fatoumata Drammeh – 50 years old