Beloved Teacher Is Supported by School Community after Losing Home in UES Fire
The Upper East Side fire has left a beloved teacher displaced, but her students and their families are returning the love always shown by the longtime pre-K teacher.
| 14 Feb 2025 | 07:27
FDNY responds to a multi-story fire on East 91st Street. (
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Jessica Northrop, a beloved pre-K teacher at P.S. 158, lost everything in a fire that swept through a high-rise building on East 91st. Now the kids and parents are raising money to help her get back on her feet. (
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FDNY responds to a multi-story fire at 160 E. 91st St. that forced six families to relocate after the fire across several floors ravaged their apartments. Luckily, there was only one minor injury, and that was to one of the 150 firefighters who battled the blaze. All the residents made it out safely. (
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The P.S. 158 community has come together to support Jessica Northrop, a pre-K teacher who lost her home and belongings in a recent three-alarm fire that forced out six families at 160 E. 91st St.
Rebecca Isquith, whose son is one of Northrop’s students, said that the news of the teacher’s troubles was shared immediately with the parents by Northrop herself, who let everyone know that she was safe. The parents of her students quickly swung into action.
“This personal information does not need to be shared with us, but it shows the partnership we have as class parents and her dedication as an educator,” Isquith wrote in an email to Our Town.
Isquith has started a GoFundMe fundraiser for Northrop, which as of Feb. 14 has raised $19,958 out of the $30,000 goal.
“Our amazing pre-K teacher, Jessica Northrop, lost her home in the fire that devastated 91st Street last week,” according to the GoFundMe page. “In true Ms. Jessica fashion, she focused on the positives that everyone was safe; however, her home and all belongings have been lost. While money can’t replace the memories, sentimental and physical objects lost, we all want to help get her back on her feet as she will need to find new housing and basic essentials. Even after losing everything, Ms. Jessica leads with positivity and love towards our kids.”
“Starting an organized fundraiser felt like the least I could do for someone who continues to give to the community and future generations,” Isquith told Our Town.
The FDNY responded to the scene on East 91st Street at 12:23 p.m. with reports of fires on the 3rd through 8th floors as well as the cockloft, Assistant Chief John Sarrocco said at a press conference
According to Eyewitness News, the fire was labor-intensive, and to extinguishing the flames required approximately 150 firefighters, one of whom suffered a minor injury.
“We stretched multiple handlines, eight to nine hose lines into the building, and we had to expose fire on every one of those floors by pulling the ceiling and opening the walls and extinguishing fire,” Sarrocco said at the press conference.
Isquith told Our Town that when Northrop reached out with the news, she did so optimistically and still made the time to update the parents about their children’s day.
“On the few mornings when my son is struggling to separate, Ms. Jessica shows compassion and patience taking over,” Isquith said. “She enthusiastically greets each child lovingly by name every morning.”
“It shows the partnership we have as class parents and her dedication as an educator.” Rebecca Isquith, GoFundMe organizer for teacher Jessica Northrop, who lost everything in an apartment fire.