Two separate families – six persons, including two children – are now homeless after fire destroyed two two-bedroom houses at Barracks Road, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland on Thursday.

Pauline Reid, owner of the house, where it is believed the fire had started, said she lost everything in the blaze. She said that about 1:30 p.m., while sitting in her living room one of the children entered and went into one of the bedrooms. Moments later, she heard the child saying that he was burning ants.

“So after mi hear dat, mi run inna di room and find the bed paa fire. Me couldn’t do anything. As me quint de whole house just ketch and de roof just collapse. Luckily me did run out before,” Ms. Reid said. No one was injured.

The Savanna-la-Mar Fire Department responded and put out the blaze. Not, however, before the neighbouring house, only a few feet apart was also destroyed. Though neighbours managed to save some of the furniture in that house, the distraught owner had to be rushed to hospital as she was overcome with shock.

“She had to be taken to the hospital because is like seh she would die because the house was just built,” one neighbour said.

Losses, according to the owner amounts to nearly $1 million, but of more importance she said, was the complete destruction of the children’s school books and other materials.

“The children dem loose everything, books, bags and food. I am just here wondering where we going to put our heads tonight,” lamented Ms. Reid.

[Western Mirror]