BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A mother and her two children are left homeless after a mid-morning fire destroyed their Green Tree Housing Project home.
Homeless are Georgina Richards and her children, whose two-bedroom, concrete, one-storey structure broke into flames sometime before 11:00 a.m. today (Oct. 27) and was completely destroyed despite the valiant efforts of fire fighters and neighbours.
On arrival at the scene, SKNVibes observed a unit from the Sandy Point Branch of the Fire and Rescue Services Department in the process of extinguishing the fire.
This media house understands that the cause of the fire is yet unknown. However, one neighbour indicated that she had observed smoke emanating from the yard of the home but believed it was as a result of trash being burnt.
Another neighbour said that she had observed smoke emitting from the kitchen and a further check revealed that the home was on fire.
One individual explained that when the alarm was raised, neighbours sprang into action, grabbed their hoses, connecting them to the nearest water pipes and making attempts to quell the blaze.
The individual further explained that while that was being done, a neighbouring house was also being doused to prevent it from going up in flames.
She said the electricity supply was interrupted previous to the incident, for which she thanked God because, as she explained, “we might not have been able to do what we did in trying to out the fire if the current was on”.
Receiving a call at approximately 11:11 a.m., the Sandy Point Branch of the Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the scene and quickly sprang into the action, taming and eventually extinguishing the fiery fury.
Jehu Richards, son of Georgina and student of the Verchilds High School, told SKNVibes that he was informed of the incident by his school’s Guidance Counsellor.
Jehu noted that his sister, who attends the same school, was also informed of the incident, and on arrival at the scene he met his home completely engulfed in flames.
The look on his face and also that of his mother’s spoke volumes.
The mood was a somber one, because, after all, all they are left with are the clothes on their backs.
An obviously-distraught Richards was consoled by her neighbours, who also appeared to have felt her loss.
