Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
HELP IS on the way for 68 Corporate Area fire victims whose houses have been gutted by fire since the start of this week.
Many of the persons, half of whom are children, only managed to salvage the clothes on their back.
The assistance, which will be provided by the Government in tandem with the Red Cross and Salvation Army, will include food and comfort items such as blankets and mattresses.
LONE FATALITY
The aid will also include cash grants and a compassionate grant to help with the burial of two-year-old Jody-Ann Parkes. The infant was the lone fatality of a fire at 26 Tuwari Crescent in the vicinity of Maxfield Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.
Lona Higgins, acting parish manager for the Kingston and St. Andrew Public Assistance Division attached to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, revealed that the compassionate grant is usually $10,000 at maximum but special circumstances could see that figure rising.
Some of the victims from the 24 affected families have already received help while it is projected that the others would receive help today.
"The assistance will be given between today and tomorrow but the cash grants have to go through a process," Ms. Higgins said yesterday.
While admitting that the cash grants were not enough to restore normalcy to the lives of the victims, Ms. Higgins noted that it was a start.
REHABILITATIVE GRANT
Individuals who have lost tools or goods bought for the purpose of resale also stand to benefit from another grant facility available called the rehabilitative grant. This too has a ceiling of $10,000.
In addition, the Constant Spring police said another family of two was left homeless after raging flames made their way through a one-bedroom house in Norbrook Heights on Tuesday. The elderly couple, who occupied the dwelling, Trevor Myers, a 61-year-old labourer, and his common-law wife, Raquel McKenzie, a 71-year-old self-employed businesswoman, lost everything.
Places affected by fire this week
1) 26 Tewari Crescent, Kingston 13 - 4 families, which includes 7 adults and 6 children
2) 114 Barbican Road - 4 families including 5 adults and 7 children
3) 1 Castle Heights Close - 6 families, which includes 7 adults and 9 children
4) 24 Septimus Street, Jones Town - 4 families, including 7 adults and 8 children
5) 26 Septimus Street, Jones Town - 6 families, which includes 8 adults and 4 children.
