Mom homeless on Mother’s Day

A 63-YEAR-OLD mother of one and grandmother of four was left homeless along with her family of eight after fire, believed to be caused by an electrical power surge, gutted their Mt Hope home on Mother’s Day yesterday.

“I am just thanking God that we all came out alive. Gosh, this is one Mother’s Day I will never forget,” stated housewife Joycelyn Pujadas, as she stood and watched the smoke rise from her home. Mrs Pujadas said she and her family, which includes her husband Leo, their daughter Jacqueline, grandchildren Keron, Joel, Anita and Tenisha and great grand-daughter Adana,  would spend the night at the homes of other relatives. Although the concrete house was still standing after the fire was doused, firemen advised the family not to stay in it until proper repair work is done since the walls could have been weakened by the intense heat and could collapse at anytime.

“We were all in the kitchen preparing breakfast and also planning what to cook for the Mother’s Day lunch when current went. Sometime later a neighbour called out saying smoke was seen coming from a room at the back,” Mrs Pujadas said. She said that the fire spread so quickly they were able  to grab only some of their furniture before being forced to leave the burning house. According to police reports, around 9.15 am electricity went while the family was in the kitchen. About ten minutes later, smoke was seen coming from a room on the eastern side of the house. Before electricity went, a fan was on, and firemen suspect a power surge may have led to the fan sparking and causing the fire.

A report was made to the San Juan fire station and officers, under FSO Marcelle and including FSOs Villafana and Phillips, arrived on the scene and managed to douse the flames before it destroyed the entire structure. However, most of its contents were destroyed either by the fire or the thick smoke. Leo Pujadas, 63, said he and his family have lived in the house for the past 30 years. He valued the house at $250,000 with contents including furniture and appliances at well over $150,000. “For the past two months we have been steadily complaining to TTEC about constant power failure and surges. I believe the fire may have been linked to the surges we have been experiencing,” Leo said. A crew of investigators from TTEC led by Anthony Bedassie, arrived shortly after and began investigations. TTEC technicians later cut the wires linking the house to an electricity pole. Police and fire officials are continuing investigations.