A fire last night left four people homeless and prompted a call for Government intervention in the City district.
A man and his three children were left homeless following the fire at Ellis Village, Halls Road, St Michael, next to Queen’s Park.
The man, whose 48 x 18 square foot house was affected, and who was identified only as “Shocks”, declined to comment.
Another resident, Pearson Price, said quick thinking saved the other houses from burning.
“When the fire broke out I was by the shop . . . . We couldn’t do nothing there because the fire did done catch by Shocks. We went by the rest of neighbours and wet down the house and help put out everything. Through how the community help one another, we apprehend the fire from going any further till the fire people come and deal with it,” he said.
No help
Thirty-eight-year-old Sylvia Prentice, who was a victim of a house fire in 1997, said this was a yearly occurrence around Agrofest.
She added that her mother had to rebuild the house herself with no help from anyone after it burnt.
“Nobody ain’t help my mother rebuild her house. My father came for me and take me to St Lucia and in 1997 my house burn down. When I came back my mother had that house scrap. She pick up wood from the garbage and all over and that is where I am now,” she said. “They have to do something with down in here. Up to now I ain’t see a minister yet. We want some help down in here. Down in here is too small,” she said.
Prentice, who lives next door to the burnt house, said her residence had not received any damage, but was full of smoke.
Divisional Fire Officer Errol Gaskin told the Saturday Sun he commanded a team of 13.
“We received a call to a fire at 7:08 p.m. Two tenders responded from the Bridgetown Fire Station. The fire required another tender, and one responded from the Worthing Fire Station,” he said.
He added that the cause of the fire was unknown and investigations were continuing. ( RA)
(Pictures by Reco Moore.)
The house which was gutted by fire last night.
Occupant of the house, identified only as Shocks, speaking with one of the fire officers following the blaze that destroyed his house.
Pearson Price said he helped the other neighbours get their things out of the way of the fire.
