Family of apartment fire victims hold fire safety event to educate youth

Saturday afternoon family and friends gathered to remember Magaly Mendoza and her two daughters Andrea Garcia and Paulina Ortega.

The three died after an apartment fire in 2015 but Mendoza’s family is using their loss to educate others on fire safety.

To this day it’s still heartbreaking for Mendoza’s family to remember the bright young girls and their mother that were taken too soon.

But out of that pain family members created M.A.P. it stands for Magaly Andrea and Paulina.

The organization has dedicated themselves to helping educate the community on fire safety awareness.

The organization held the event last year but this year was the first time the family held a walk around Memorial Park.

Organizers say the purpose of the event is to instill fire awareness in children.

“Fire safety awareness is a must it’s very important. I don’t know how much to emphasize it. It’s a reality we never knew was out there so be safe keep you’re family safe,” said Mendoza’s cousin Michelle Carbal.

Firefighters were also on-hand giving attendees fire safety tips.

“We want to make sure people know that they ought to close their doors. When they sleep at night and when they leave their home because a door can keep smoke and fire out 20 minutes. It can save your life by buying you time,” said fire code compliance inspector Raul Gonzalez.

The organization encourages people to have evacuation plans — to test fire extinguishers and smoke alarms regularly.

“Their death could of been prevented. Their smoke alarms weren’t working and that’s very …we’re still dealing with that grief and that death that was too soon,” Carbal said.

Carbal said kids should know about fire safety just like they know their home phone number and address.