EMT on Scene Learns Daughter Among Victims of Lebanon, PA, House Fire

EMT Azelyn Arenas, who was on duty with First Aid and Safety Patrol, discovered her daughter, Veyda, 4, was one of four who perished.

Sept. 30, 2025

3 min read

Zahriah Balentine

pennlive.com

(TNS)

The family members of four people, including three children, who died after a fire started inside a Lebanon home, have launched GoFundMe pages.

One of the fundraisers noted a particularly tragic situation: The First Aid and Safety Patrol said that EMT worker Azelyn Arenas was on duty when she responded to the house fire, only to find that one of the victims was her 4-year-old daughter.

The house fire, which began around 8:40 a.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Church Street, killed Amarri Morris Rodriguez, 1, Veyda Pereyra, 4, Jaeden Nunez, 17, and Josefina Estevez, 73, according to the Lebanon County Coroner’s Office.

The cause and manner of death for the victims were still pending as of Monday afternoon, the coroner’s office said.

The Lebanon Fire Department was dispatched to the fire and found the first and second floors of the home engulfed. There were 10 people inside when the fire started, some visiting for the birthday celebration, according to Mayor Sherry Capello.

The department expressed deep sorrow for Arenas, her family, and the EMS community, and shared a GoFundMe link that was started by Arenas. She said the family is “completely shattered” after the fire.

Veyda was visiting the party from another part of Lebanon County, according to the coroner’s office.

“[Veyda] is the light in every room, our baby, our only child, & we’ll forever miss her,” the GoFundMe said. “Nothing is expected but any donations will be greatly appreciated. Thank you & please respect our privacy as we navigate this. Her father and I appreciate anything.”

The coroner said 1-year-old Amarri was visiting the house from New York.

The family describes the fire as devastating and is seeking financial help to cover funeral expenses, housing support, and assist the family as they begin recovering from their loss.

“This tragedy has shattered our family and countless community members,” the family’s GoFundMe said. “We are now reaching out to everyone to help with financial assistance for funeral planning, housing support, and to help rebuild from this unimaginable loss.”

The fire, determined to be accidental, was caused by an electrical outlet on the first-floor living room, according to the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal.

One person is in critical condition, and one is in stable condition, Capello said in a Sunday news release. Four other occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Neighbors described the fire as sudden, intense, and overwhelming, with one man calling it “an inferno” and saying the flames were too strong for him to enter the home, despite hearing screams and wanting to help.

Others told PennLive late Sunday afternoon they saw flames pouring from the windows and heard people yelling that a baby was inside.