A fire, which was reportedly set by a mentally-ill man, today destroyed four houses situated along the John Fernandes Squatting Area, leaving more than six persons homeless.
One of the houses belonged to Tiffany Morgan and her husband, who lived with their two children, age 12 and 15.
Morgan told this publication that she was at work when she got a call informing her of the fire. By the time she rushed home, her house was completely gutted.
Another of the destroyed houses was occupied by a mother and her adult son. Another woman and her teenage son are also homeless, since their house was damaged in the fire.
The fire originated in the home of the suspect, a 50-year-old man who has been taken into custody for questioning.
“I observed persons were talking to someone in a very harsh way and I was informed that that person was suspected to have started the fire,” Divisional Fire Officer Clive McDonald told reporters.
Meanwhile, neighbours believe the fire service could have done more to curb the destruction.
They complained that the lack of insufficient water from the fire trucks led to the homes to being completely destroyed.
It was only yesterday that Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar had engaged residents in the squatting area on measures to improve their lives.
