Philadelphia: Funeral services were held Monday for nine children and three adults who died in the Philadelphia fire five days to the new year, the deadliest fire in the city in more than a century.
The funeral procession on the rainy streets of the city Monday morning was attended by services at Liacouras University of Temple, which was invited by community members and asked to wear white.
Those present at the three-hour service listened to the reading of the Bible, Proclamation and official music.
Relatives talk about their loss and memories of the people they love from two microphones behind tables containing caskets in the middle of white flowers and large images of the victims.
“No one of us knows what to do with the funeral with 12 people,” said Rev.
Dr.
Alyn Waller from Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
“We are in the space of sadness and the pain we want to anyone.” One speaker, aunt kids, with tears said he believed there was a “family reunion in heaven”.
“I believe they are with their father.
I believe they are with my mother.
I believe they are with my father, their uncle and aunt,” he said.
“The pain is inside but it will subside.” The victims of January 5 shots were on the third floor of a duplex in the north center near the Philadelphia Art Museum.
The three-story brick duplex is owned by the Philadelphia housing authority, which is a public housing agent and the largest landlord.
Three Sisters – Rosalee McDonald, Virginia Thomas and Quinsha White – and nine of their children died in Blaze, according to family members.
City last week identified another victim as Quintien Tate-McDonald, Destiny McDonald, Dekwan Robinson, J’kwon Robinson, Tanesha Robinson, Tiffany Robinson, Shaniece Wayne, Natasha Wayne and Janiyah Roberty.
Officials do not provide their age.
The investigator last week confirmed that it began on the Christmas tree but stopped officially said that it was triggered by a child playing with a lighter.
Blaze has been the deadliest fire for years in a housing building a.s.
But it has surpassed a few days later with a fire at the New York City Borough Bronx which killed 17 people, including several children.