Fire victim suffers heart attack

LESS than 24 hours after the Edwin family’s house was gutted by fire, they were hit by another misfortune when one of members was hospitalised yesterday after suffering a heart attack. Relatives believe that the heart attack was triggered by the fire on Saturday at Union Road, Marabella, which left 64-year-old Ena Edwin and seven other family members homeless.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday while going through the charred remains of the house, the elderly woman’s son, Robert, 34, said that his mother was adversely affected by the fire which completely destroyed the house they lived in for the past 22 years.  Robert said around 4 am, Edwin complained of feeling unwell and experiencing chest pains. Shortly after her condition worsened and she was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital where she was treated and admitted to Ward 12. Robert believes the fire was caused by an electrical problem. He added that in the past they had experienced flunctuating voltage and is seeking compensation from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission. TTEC officials, who had visited the family three times since the fire, had promised to return today to discuss the question of liability and compensation. Damages to the two storey house is estimated at $450,000. Until better arrangements could be made, the family is staying in a small one room structure, next to their burnt home.