Four dead after East Palatka mobile home fire; family, community grieving and rallying to help
A fourth person has died after a devastating fire tore through a mobile home in East Palatka earlier this week.
Family members confirmed that 27-year-old Carolina Gomez died at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, days after the fire.
Her death follows the loss of brothers Fernando Hernandez Mendez, 31, Enrique Hernandez Mendez, 33, and 4-year-old Angel Enrique Diaz Perez, who were found inside the burned home Monday.
Gomez's two children — a 7-year-old girl and an 18-month-old boy — remain hospitalized in critical condition.
Action News Jax learned the fire is believed to have started with a refrigerator outlet. Since then, a growing number of neighbors and community advocates have stepped in to help.
'They're devastated and still can't process what's happened,' said Cirienia Martinez, a Migrant and Hispanic community advocate who is also translating for the family. 'It's unimaginable.'
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Martinez said Gomez and her relatives were hardworking people. 'She just wants the community to recognize that,' Martinez said.
Outside the scorched home, signs of support continue to grow. The surviving family members are now living in another mobile home nearby, which is filled with donations — food, clothing, and other supplies.
'It's a large family,' said Kellie Mayes, a family friend helping organize relief efforts. 'I figured if we can get the whole community involved, the more the better. They could use all the help they could get right now.'
Mayes' own children have been deeply affected. 'We knew them as neighbors. It hurts,' she said. 'My kids are traumatized by it as well.'
Donation drives are underway to support the surviving children and extended family members now caring for them.
FAMILY STATEMENT:
The family is most in need of a place to rent in the East Palatka area and adult clothing/shoes. Donations can continue to be dropped off with any of the community organizers: Kelly Mayes, Cirienia Martinez, and Abed Aldick. Sizes can be found on our community pages on FB.
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