Bronx, NY – Cristina and Teddy Perales had just arrived home Monday evening when a neighbor’s shout—“Your roof is on fire!”—changed everything. Within minutes, flames ripped through the roof of their Bronx home, which the couple had purchased only five months earlier.
According to Cristina, she first noticed what smelled like a charcoal grill shortly after arriving home in the rain. “Then we both smelled it, and it smelled very strong,” she said. Moments later, someone outside alerted them to the fire.
Cristina grabbed her keys and purse, called 911, and escaped as flames spread across the roof. “Within eight minutes of being home, I was standing outside in the rain watching our house burn,” she said.
Firefighters responded quickly, followed by American Red Cross of Greater New York volunteers who provided immediate support. “They were amazing,” Cristina said. “They comforted me, asked the right questions, and made sure we had a place to stay.”
The Red Cross arranged hotel lodging that night and connected the couple with a caseworker to begin recovery assistance. Both Cristina and Teddy lost nearly everything—personal items, work materials, and cherished collections—but expressed deep gratitude for the rapid help they received.
“This was overwhelming,” Cristina said, “but the Red Cross made sure we weren’t alone.”
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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