Fire destroys house in St Andrew community

“No water, not a drop of water,” lamented White Hill, St Andrew resident Lawson Reid on Wednesday as he helplessly watched fire destroy the home of a fellow resident and damage a neighbouring house, while taps in the community remained dry.

Around midday, fire ravaged the home of Keisha Tyson and her family of two and then spread next door where Ryan Alleyne lives with three others and runs a barbershop.

Reid, who was trimming his hedge at the time, said black smoke alerted him something was wrong.

“I holler for ‘wait, somebody burning tyres’. I said ‘no, that can’t be no tyres.’ When I went round the corner and I look, I see fire coming through the house. I said that have to be that girl house burning,” he recalled.

“But the problem is water. If you had water now a fellow could have still gone and assist and help battle with the fire truck. It is real, real, frustrating. This is total madness.”

Homeowner Tyson and two others who occupied the wooden house that was destroyed before fire officers managed to put out the blaze, were not at home at the time.

Tyson was still in shock when she spoke to reporters and had no idea what could have caused the fire.

“Everything [is gone]. I feel lost, I feel like I ain’t even here, then. Everything happening around me and I ain’t really a part of it. I ain’t catch myself yet. I lost for words and I don’t be normally lost for words. I can’t get it explain. I can’t explain how I feeling,” she said.

Her neighbour, Alleyne, was also away from home when he got the grim news.

“I was getting my hair plait in Black Rock and my hair isn’t finished yet. When I get the phone call that my house was on fire and the fellows tell me, ‘go, go, go’, I get in my car, I head straight for home,” he said.

Alleyne told reporters the flooring and other sections of his home were damaged.

Member of Parliament for St Andrew Dr Romel Springer, who was on the scene, said work was already underway to provide support to the affected families.

“I have spoken to persons from both households. On my way here, I reached out to Minister [of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs] Kirk Humphrey. He indicated to me that they have already started the process of ensuring that these persons are housed this afternoon. Additionally, I have reached out to a charity that has also indicated to me that they can also provide the victims with some clothing items and household items and stuff like that, as soon as they are settled of course,” he disclosed. (SD)