Lebanon House Fire Kills 5, Including EMT’s Daughter

On Sept. 28, 2025, a house fire during a birthday gathering in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, killed five people, including 4-year-old Veyda Pereyra. Investigators say the blaze was accidental and started from an electrical outlet in a first-floor living room. Veyda’s mother, EMT Azelyn Arenas of First Aid & Safety Patrol, was among the first responders and arrived to find her daughter among the victims, a scene colleagues described as “our worst nightmare.” Other victims included 73-year-old caretaker Josefina Estevez and three others reported as ages 1, 17 and 23; two additional people were injured. The community has rallied with a GoFundMe that quickly surpassed its initial goal, and county authorities have activated crisis-intervention and counseling resources for first responders and affected families.