5 homeless as fire ravages Amelia’s Ward home

An Amelia’s Ward, Linden family of five is now mourning their loss after their upper flat wooden home went up in flames shortly after mid-day on Saturday.

Owner of the home Cedric James said the fire started in the hallway after a four-year-old child reportedly lit a mattress, which had been placed there at the time. According to the man, the family were cleaning their Lot 34 Self Help Housing Scheme home and his daughter placed her mattress in the hallway.

James said he was in the bathroom when he learned that the house was engulfed in flames. The family was able to escape with only the clothes on their backs.

James’s wife and one of his daughters reportedly escaped by jumping through a window and were treated briefly at the Linden Hospital Complex.

According to James, he barely managed to remove his car, parked underneath the house by breaking one of its windows as the house quickly went up in flames.

He noted that quick thinking caused him to remove a gas bottle from inside the house. The family estimates their losses in the millions as nothing from the fully furnished house was saved.

Scores of family members and churchgoers turned up at the scene to offer support to the grieving family. James, who was very composed, said he was thankful that there was no loss of life. He said the Linden Fire Station responded in a “fairly ok” time but firefighters who tried their best were unable to save the already engulfed home.

“Everything got burned, all our documents, my money, them children books, the washing machine, everything… all these things is just material things. Once nothing ain’t happen to nobody, I’m alright,” he said sadly.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene, family could be seen combing through the rubble for valuables, including jewellery. They indicated that the search turned up nothing.

An optimistic James said he is looking forward to rebuilding his home with the help of family and friends.