Fire victim begs for help after all lost in Pine blaze

A fire victim on Monday made a desperate plea for help after fire demolished his house at Golden Rock, the Pine, St Michael and all his possessions.

Jeffrey Thomas was shaken and in disbelief at the tragic events that unfolded just after 9:30 a.m., as his frantic efforts to save his belongings came to nought.

“I had to run for my life actually,” the former police officer and court marshal told reporters at the scene.

“There was a lot of damage. The old back house burn down and got water damage. I need help, my wife and I need help…. I am asking on behalf of my wife for assistance, whatever the assistance may be. I am an ex-court marshal and I hope that the court marshals would assist me. I was a policeman also, so I am hoping to get some help for both myself and my wife.”

Thomas said the fire which started next door spread fast. He recounted that he first heard something like bullets being fired.

“I tried to get some buckets of water but to no avail, because the heat was intense and my neighbour had to tell me get out the house,” he recalled.

Divisional Officer of the Barbados Fire Service Officer Tremelle Perch disclosed that another house was destroyed and other structures damaged.

“We had two structures that were destroyed and then we also had some structures on the periphery that were also slightly damaged,” Perch said as investigations continue.

There were no reports of injuries.

Perch, along with colleague station officer Roger Bourne, a team of 12 officers and three fire tenders from the Arch Hall, Pine, and Worthing fire stations responded to the blaze.