The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

VICTIMS of a fire that ravaged a small Haitian community between Sir Milo Butler Highway and Faith Avenue say they lost everything in the blaze that completely destroyed several homes and left charred remains in its wake.

The fire began after 6:30pm Sunday night, reportedly after a kerosene lamp lit a nearby curtain. The fire then spread rapidly from home to home, consuming six houses and damaging several more nearby. Fire fighters had the blaze extinguished shortly before 11:30pm. Twelve families, some 20 persons, were affected. No injuries were reported.

Yolanda Cash, a 31-year-old mother of five children said she was home when the fire started and only had time to collect her children and important documents before fleeing her home after hearing explosions.

“It was an elderly lady’s home that the fire started at and there were several of our homes destroyed, including mine,” she said. “I was home when the fire started. I was just dropping my kids to my mom and my niece and I had to run back out.

“I actually heard explosions. I don’t know if it was a gas tank or I don’t know what it was. I just grabbed my kids and my documents and I just stormed out. I didn’t care about anything else – I didn’t even care about clothing, I just wanted to get out of there.”

As she fled her home, she saw neighbouring homes in flames with the fire moving towards her home. Parked cars outside homes were also aflame.

“It wasn’t a pleasant sight,” she said.

However, said Ms Cash, this was not the first fire that she had experienced.

“In 2010, the Mackey yard fire in Firetrail Road – we were also involved in it. This is the second time,” she said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next, I don’t have a job, I’ve been out of work for two years. I don’t know yet. I lost everything – clothing, furniture, beds, stove. Everything.”

Walner Petit-Frere, another resident of the community, said he was not around when the fire started, but arrived the following morning only to see the blackened remains of his neighbours’ homes.

“I came here this morning and I met the place burned down,” he said. “I was shocked. But this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a fire happen. The houses are built too close and when they’re built too close, when one catch, they all catch.”

Although his home was not damaged by the fire, his car – which he had parked a short distance from one of the destroyed homes – is badly damaged.

“I sleep back that way but half of my car was (melted),” he said.

He said that he was glad the fire was contained before it could spread further and affect other homes, including his own.

“I think the whole yard could have caught on fire and my house is right there,” Mr Petit-Frere said. “I know that would have catch and that’s where all my personal things are – in my house. If I came home and meet my house burned down, I don’t know what I would do.”