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The YMCA, which is a residence, hotel and hostel, houses 100 people, Abigail Adams, regional communications officer for the Red Cross, told The Daily Voice Saturday. The agency is working to find shelter for those people until police and fire officials give permission for people to return to the YMCA.
Two bodies were found in the YMCA when firefighters responded to a blaze early Saturday morning. Some reports are calling the incident a murder-suicide-arson.
By Saturday afternoon the Red Cross had registered 60 people from the YMCA into temporary housing. Adams said that number is expected to rise as more people who may be away for the long holiday weekend return home. The Red Cross will open a shelter Saturday night at the White Plains Senior Center.
In addition, the agency has 11 volunteers on site, including mental health workers.
"A fire is very distressing," Adams said. "That’s very important, that they talk to mental health experts to get on the road to recovery."
The people housed at the YMCA were mostly 45 and up, Adams said, though there were some students living there because it also served as a hostel.
Adams said the Red Cross is working with police so people can return to the YMCA to retrieve medicine.
Those interested in donating to help the victims of the fire and other disasters can visit nyredcross.org.
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