Residents of Belmont held a vigil outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday evening, April 24, to pray for the two deceased victims who were tragically killed in the 5-alarm fire at 660 East 187th Street on April 21, as well as for their families and other residents displaced impacted by the blaze.

 

As reported, several pets, including cats and a turtle left behind after the fire were later rescued from the sealed building following a full vacate order and amid pressure from various animal welfare groups, while other pets did not survive.

The vigil was organized by the Belmont Catholic community and took place outside the church, located a short distance away from the fire site.

 

Prior to the vigil, a notice in English and Spanish read, “Join us today for a Prayer Vigil outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church as we come together in faith and solidarity to pray for all those affected by the fire. 🙏 Let us lift up the victims, their families, and our entire community in prayer during this difficult time. All are welcome.”

A crowd of around 150 people, including several children, showed up, prayed, sung hymns, lit remembrance candles, and were comforted by the words of Father Carlos, who led the service, along with other members of the clergy. Short videos of the vigil, itself, are attached below.

 

Several people were seen tearful, embracing and comforting each other afterwards. Norwood News spoke to one person and asked if they had seen the fire unfolding on the day and they said, “No, I wasn’t here. I was working. When I came, there was the fire. I really don’t know.”

Rosa, another neighbor, was tearful as she spoke to us. We asked her if she lived in the affected building and she said, “No, I didn’t. One of my son’s friends lived in that building. She was in the same school as my son, and it’s a real tragedy. He’s hysterical ’cause he saw her on Tuesday and then the next day, his friend calls him and says, ‘Yo that building got on fire where Elizabeth lived.'”

 

Rosa continued, “And we were like, “Oh my God!’ Shocked, shocked to hear that. I’m hoping that everybody who lived there gets a place to live and gets the help they need. It’s a tragedy that it had to happen in our neighborhood but God’s… [She didn’t finish her thought].” Rosa concluded saying her son was “hanging in there.” Neither police nor the FDNY released the names of the two deceased victims.

 

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V2 Video by Síle Moloney

Later, we spoke to Selena, a school friend of one of the deceased victims, Michelle, and asked her what Michelle was like. “She was very caring,” Selena said. “She was a very lovely person. She had a really pretty smile and we met in 7th Grade and we’re in 11th now so it’s been four years, but she was more than family ’cause she always invited me to holidays, like, spending Thanksgiving with her family and Christmas.”

 

Selena continued, “Her family is like my second family and vice versa. Like my family was also family to her; we were very close.” Asked if Michelle had siblings, Selena said, “Yeah, she has a sister and two brothers that really love her. She was the youngest.”

 

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V3 Video by Síle Moloney

Asked what Michelle’s interests were, Selena said, “She loved walking her dog. She would get me to play volleyball, especially in summer. We would play a lot. We were learning to play other sports like soccer but we weren’t really good at it. She used to ride her skateboard but she stopped, but she was going to start learning again.”

 

Asked how Michelle’s family were doing, Selena said, “They’re devastated.”

 

We also spoke to Irene Estrada, former Conservative Party mayoral candidate, who was also present and who is affiliated with Bronx Community Board 11, Mothers Against 1900, 49th Precinct Explorers, the Policewomen’s Endowment Association, and the School Safety Coalition.

 

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V4 Video by Síle Moloney

Estrada said in part, “Well, this is my community. I am Latin American. The Mexican communities need to know that when something like this happens, we’re all part of the Bronx wall. We’re all Bronxites. We’re all one big family. As an activist, my heart is broken because the story is the same. Buildings are deteriorating. Landlords are getting away with it and then we start losing lives, losing homes.”

 

We mentioned that the cause of the fire was not yet known at that point and Estrada agreed it was still under investigation. She continued, “We’re concerned for this community. There’s a lot of youth. They all come to church here at Mt. Carmel, which is a great place to be with Father Carlos. We’re working with Father Carlos. We’re working with Chief Gurley and the 48th Precinct. In times of trouble, we all come together, we all bind together. New York City is our home. What affects one affects all of us and we’re part of the body of Christ.”

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V5 Video by Síle Moloney

Estrada continued, “When one hurts, we all hurt, but it is a sad situation that a 17-year-old has passed and now, we have so many more families that lost property. They’re all displaced. Now, we got to go back to the shelters and try to find homes for them and it’s like every single day, two or three fires the same day and these things are getting a little bit ridiculous where, I think, there has to be an investigation of landlords and fraud for insurance.”

 

She added, “And I’m very concerned because it’s not even the summer time and it’s just like unending. It’s unending over and over. We need more resources for these youth. We need more resources. We need more resources for our communities. We need to assure them that when a fire happens, they have to be transferred to one of those new buildings that are empty and vacant for how long?”

 

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V6 Video by Síle Moloney

She continued, “They shouldn’t go to these nasty shelters. I’m dealing with families in shelters and they have rats and they have no running water and there is a big dismantling of how our system works and we have to get it right. We have to get it right to give them a dignified opportunity to move somewhere nicer, to give them dignity and move them in the right way.”

 

Norwood News has reached out to local elected officials for Belmont for comment on Estrada’s remarks and will share any feedback we receive. A representative from Assemblyman George Alvarez’s office said, “The loss of a young life and the displacement of multiple families following the tragic fire at 660 East 187th Street is heartbreaking. My thoughts remain with all those affected, especially the family of the victim and the residents who lost their homes and belongings.”

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V7 Video by Síle Moloney

He continued, “While I cannot speak to Ms. Estrada’s personal experiences or observations, I can speak to the actions my office has taken. From the outset, my staff and I have been in communication with community stakeholders and have worked to connect affected residents with available resources and services. We remain committed to supporting impacted families as they navigate this difficult period and the challenges that follow a major tragedy.”

 

Alvarez continued, “I agree that our communities deserve more than a one-day response. Recovery requires sustained attention, coordination, and accountability. Families affected by fires and other emergencies should receive dignified support, safe temporary housing, and clear pathways toward long-term stability.”

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V8 Video by Síle Moloney

The assemblyman added, “This tragedy also underscores the need for continued vigilance regarding building safety, code enforcement, and tenant protections. Any questions regarding the cause of the fire or potential landlord liability should be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities.”

 

He concluded, “At this moment, our focus remains on supporting the affected families, honoring the life that was lost, and working with community partners to ensure residents receive the assistance they need. My office remains available to any resident impacted by this tragedy who requires assistance navigating government services or accessing available resources.”

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V9 Video by Síle Moloney

Meanwhile, the firehouse located on Briggs Avenue in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, which was the site of another fire on Thursday, March 26, was still closed on May 13, an FDNY employee informed Norwood News when we passed by the building. Ladder Company 37 is reportedly operating from another location pending the reopening of the firehouse. Fourteen firefighters were injured during the fire, some hospitalized and later released from Jacobi hospital.

 

A VIGIL IS held outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on East 187th Street on Friday, April 24, 2026 for the victims of the 5-alarm, fatal fire that broke out on April 21, 2026, at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont. V10 Video by Síle Moloney

The cause of the fire at 660 East 187th Street in Belmont was released on June 3 by the FDNY. Read more here. Read more of our prior coverage of the same Belmont fire here, here, here, here, here and here.

 

Click here to read FDNY’s fire safety tips. “During a fire, always close the door behind you!” fire officials say. “It helps contain smoke and flames, giving you precious time to escape.”

 

Read our latest coverage of the fatal fire at 2609 Bainbridge Avenue in which three young children from the same family died here.

 

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