Jail saves man from fiery death

TWO weeks ago, arsonists failed in their attempts to burn down the house of a 50-year-old man, while he was inside the building.

Yesterday, the arsonists struck again and were successful this time, but fortunately for Don Antonio, he was not home, after being incarcerated on a larceny charge which is pending before the courts. However, the fire to Antonio’s home almost caught his neighbour’s house ablaze, and only a bucket-brigade by villagers saved the neighbour’s home from the inferno. A still visibly shaken, Greta Philip, 72, of Murray Street, Vance River, La Brea, told Newsday she was asleep around 3 am when she felt an intense heat. When she got up and looked through her window, Phillip said, she saw her neighbour’s (Antonio) house completely engulfed in flames.

Phillip said she woke up her grandson, Junior, 36, who ran outside screaming for help. The elderly woman said she later realised part of her house was on fire and alerted the neighbours. “Thank God for my neighbours. They save my house. They form a bucket brigade and began wetting the area of my house that was on fire,” the elderly woman cried. Phillip said she had no idea who was responsible for the arson. “I feel sorry for the boy (Antonio) because when he come out of jail he will have no home,” Phillip said. A relative of Antonio, who did not wish to be named, said the man (Antonio) always found himself in trouble and had several enemies. “It could be anybody who did this. He (Antonio) had many enemies,” the relative said. La Brea police are continuing investigations. Damage to Antonio’s home was estimated at $50,000.