Child, 4, dies in Arima fire

A Four-and-a-half-year-old Arima tot was burnt beyond recognition yesterday, while nine of his family members were rendered homeless after a fire gutted a house in Arima. His grandmother, Pamela Lynch, also received multiple burns trying to save him and was treated and discharged at the Arima District Medical facility. In shock, scores of onlookers and family members watched as fire officers looked through the charred remains of the burnt out house for the missing Milano Lynch. His body, burnt beyond recognition, was found under a bed where he apparently went to hide. Sobbing outside the burnt-out house was his grandmother, who frantically tried to save him but instead ended up getting injured. Only minutes before, Milano was outside with his grandmother playing near a cherry tree when somehow he managed to leave her  and went inside, unknown to her. Sometime later, the fire started and the tot was burnt to death.

When Newsday visited the remains of the DeGannes Street, Arima home, a dazed, Pamela Lynch explained,” at  around 11 am Milano was watching television when my two cousins, Michael Gomez and Peter Assing, came and said they wanted to watch an adult movie. At the time, I was outside doing some planting so I told Milano to come outside. “He objected at first but then came. Sometime after, I heard my daughter-in-law Allison Mitchell scream out ‘the flame is too high’ and I looked up in time to see the children’s bedroom on fire. “I ran inside screaming to whoever was in the house to get out, while running to the bedroom door. All during this time, I kept hearing Milano screaming out my name. “Somehow I tripped and hit my head and had to be rescued by two grave diggers working opposite. By this time, the flames had engulfed the entire building.”

Also in the building was seven-year-old Olintia Lynch, who was saved by her mother Allison Mitchell. When Newsday spoke to Mitchell, she supported Pamela’s story. “I was in the kitchen when I saw the flame coming from in the children’s bedroom. On getting closer I shouted “the flame is too high” and grabbed my daughter while running outside. By that time, people were running all about trying to throw water on the house, but it was too late. “I heard screams but could not say if it was Pamela or Milano.” Newsday learnt that Milano usually liked to play with matches, and was repeatedly warned. Gomez denied he was watching any adult movies while confirming Assing was in the house, but ran away as the fire started.” I was asleep when Pamela woke me up. I was dazed so I ran outside only to see two grave diggers pulling her out. “Yes, I heard screaming but I did not know whose it was.”