Mom, daughter perish in Penal blaze

The mother and daughter — Virginia La Fond, 102, and Irene La Fond, 66, who police said were trapped in the house at the time of the blaze died on the scene. Their charred remains were found slumped among the burnt ruins of the wooden house in two separate rooms. Also perishing in the fire were two pet dogs — Agnesia and Girly. Another pet dog — Brownie, however, managed to survive.

The blaze started at about 8.30 pm at the home of the La Fond’s — Raju Trace, San Francique, Penal.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire may have been caused by a pitch-oil lamp which was left lighting in one of the rooms of the split-level wooden and galvanised house.

Sunday Newsday was told that neighbours attempted to help the screaming women escape from the burning house, but were prevented from doing so because of the locked windows and doors.

However, by the time fire appliances from the Siparia and Mon Repos Fire Stations responded, the house was already gutted by the blaze. The burnt bodies, were found separated in two rooms among the ruins.

Police said that the two women lived together in the house, along with their three pet dogs.

Irene’s daughter, Monica Dipta, 42, of Nazim Avenue, San Francique yesterday told Sunday Newsday that she went to visit her mother and grandmother at about 4.50 pm on Friday before leaving to go to a Hindu temple at Piparo.

“When I went they were both fine. My grandmother, Virginia, was sitting in the gallery of the house while my mother was inside. I told them that I was going to temple in Piparo and would be back soon, then I left,” Dipta said.

“It was while we were in the temple that we received a phone call message that my mother and grandmother had died in a fire which broke out at their home,” Dipta added, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Dipta’s daughter, Leela said that by the time they got to her great-grandmother’s (Virginia) residence, fire fighters had already extinguished the blaze and the charred remains of both women were seen lying among the burnt ruins. “This was a real tragedy. Very horrible. We left them good to go to the temple and now look at what has happened, they are burnt to death being guarded by police and fire officers,” Leela said.

Leela said that Virginia, who was very frail, could not have moved around quickly because of old age. She added that her grandmother, Irene, was also very sickly and could not have moved around properly without assistance.

Leela said that the family was told by passers-by that seconds before the house was seen engulfed in huge flames, Virginia was standing by a front window screaming for help.

“They told us that they saw my great grandmother (Virginia) standing by the front window bawling for help but they said that they could not have understood why because they saw nothing like fire. Maybe the fire was already blazing from inside the house,” Leela said.

“By the time the people realised what was happening and decided to help them, the house just suddenly blew up in flames and within seconds the whole house burnt down, killing both my great-grand mother and grand mother,” she added.

Leela said that Virginia was of Spanish heritage as both her parents were Venezuelans, who came to Trinidad and settled.

She described the women as ‘‘landmarks’’ in the village, “Everybody knew them, especially Virginia, who was known as the ‘lady who used to tote a basket on her head.’ They were well-loved by all around and everybody used to hail them out whenever they passed by their home.”

Autopsies will be carried out tomorrow at the Forensic Sciences Complex. Police Officers attached to the Penal Police Station are continuing investigations.