Six left homeless after Princes Town fire

The houses, located a stone’s throw away from the Princes Town Fire Station, could not be saved as fire officers reached the location about 30 minutes after a report was made by passers-by at about 12.30 p.m. Officials said the trucks were out of the building at the time the report was received.

Librarian Kerri Ramlal and her 12-year-old son, Christian Beckles, lived in one of the apartments while Patricia Mitchell, her sons Terrence and Kerneil Mitchell and Shanele Ali, occupied the other.

Patricia, who is employed at Amalgamated Security Limited, said she was at work when a neighbour called to say the house was on fire.

“When I got here the house was already engulfed in flames and the fire officers kept me from retrieving any of my items,” she said.

Ramlal said she was ill with the virus and decided to stay at home yesterday and she also kept her son away from school. Christian, who is a form one student of the Princes Town East Secondary School, lost everything including his books and school uniform. Ramlal said she was at home sleeping in her room when she heard a loud explosion and rushed out to see the adjoining rooms in flames and her son coughing. He was later taken to the Princes Town Hospital by ambulance and treated for smoke inhalation.

Ramlal said she applied for an Housing Development Corporation (HDC) house seven years ago and was not successful in obtaining one.

She said she was interviewed four years ago but was never called.

She also stated that the previous MP for Princes Town, Neela Khan, gave her a letter to go to then Housing Minister, Dr Roodal Moonilal, but she was still unsuccessful in getting a home.

She is now calling on present minister, Randall Mitchell, to assist her in getting a home.

Chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation, Aiknath Singh, visited the victims and promised to provide hampers and mattresses for them. Patricia and her family will be staying at a friend’s house while Ramlal will stay with her aunt Sandra Wahadali in Duncan Village.