Wake held for mother, daughter killed in Inwood fire: "We still cannot believe what happened"

A wake was held Saturday for a mother and daughter killed in Monday's tragic apartment building fire in Inwood.

The deadly blaze injured several residents and displaced many more. Nearly a week later, the community is still grappling with its impact.

"We still think that she's gonna show up"

Friends and family of Yolaine Diaz and her mother, Ana Mirtha Dominguez, are still coming to terms with the loss.

"We still cannot believe what happened. For us, it's been a very tough week," said Joaquim Utset, editorial director for People En Español.

"I'm gonna miss her very much," former colleague Ursula Carranza said.

Mourners gathered at the Community Home for Funerals in Yonkers to pay their final respects to the pair.

Diaz, a former fashion editor for People En Español, was remembered by colleagues for her sense of style and ability to light up a room.

"We still think that she's gonna show up, that we're gonna see one of her beautiful posts somewhere around the world," Utset said. "For us, we still cannot wrap our minds around what happened."

"She would always come every day to work amazingly dressed, always made up," Carranza said. "She knew the Hispanic market probably better than anybody else in that magazine."

Fire remains under investigation

Officials say Diaz and her 73-year-old mother were attempting to flee their Dyckman Street apartment building when a fire broke out on Monday but were overcome by smoke in the stairwell.

They were among three killed in the fire. That third victim has not yet been identified.

With more than a dozen left injured, including five people who remain hospitalized, the investigation into the fire continues.

While officials have determined that opened doors near a staircase allowed the fire to spread, the cause of the blaze is still unclear.