11 homeless

ELEVEN Laventille residents are now homeless two days before the new year, after a fire destroyed two houses early yesterday morning. Police believe the fires were deliberately set to frighten and silence potential witnesses to a murder. Apart from facing a bleak and uncertain start to their new year, the homeless persons are now fearing for their lives, since the arsonists could return to harm them. The fires were started two hours apart. In the first instance, Debra Richards reported that she was awakened around 5 am at her Richardson Lane, Laventille home by the sounds of two loud explosions. At the same time, her son, who was also asleep in another room, heard the noise. When he investigated, he found the kitchen alight. He quickly raised an alarm and by this time all the seven occupants vacated the building, the wooden structure was well engulfed by flames.

When Newsday visited the area, a shocked Richards, who was contemplating her next move,  said she had no money and had lost everything in the fire. Asked what she thought was the reason for the arson, Richards said, “there are just some things you cannot say because besides fire, there could be murder. Right now we lost everything and have nowhere to go.” The house and items have been valued at $200,000. Meanwhile, in another incident, Laventille resident Ingrid Reno told police she received a call around 7 am informing her that her home on Richardson Lane, Laventille, was on fire. When Newsday visited the ruins of Reno’s apartment, the angry woman said, “it is because they want to shut us up for the murder which took place and because my son is friends with the guy who they believed committed the murder!

“So they burn down our house. It is all scare tactics,” she added. Reno, who did not go into details regarding her statement on the scare tactics, said that around 7 am, she was told that five masked men came to her house, nailed the front door and then threw something inside. Minutes later the house was on fire. “My daughter-in-law, who was the only person inside at the time, ran out of the house but was unable to save anything. Right now I do not know what to do or what is my next move,” Reno said. “And all this is because someone is trying to shut us up.” Less than 24 hours before the two fires occurred, Garvin Christian was gunned down while walking along Richardson Lane — close to the Richards and Reno homes. The killing, witnessed by several residents, is believed to be gang-related. The second house, a wood and concrete structure, along with household contents, has been valued at $300,000. Four persons occupied the house.