Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
Members of the Montego Bay Fire Department extinguishing a fire which destroyed a five bedroom house, at 13 William Street, North Gully, Montego Bay, yesterday. The house was occupied by 11 persons including six children. No one was injured. - CLAUDINE HOUSEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
ELEVEN PEOPLE including six children lost their home in a fire in North Gully, St. James, yesterday.
According to reports, an alarm was raised after nine-year-old Kyron Dobson saw fire coming from a five-bedroom dwelling at 13 William Street, North Gully, shortly before 10 a.m. It is alleged that the fire, which has resulted in more than $3 million worth of damage, may have started in one of the rooms which was used for cooking.
But residents claim there could have been less damage had the firefighters been better prepared to deal with the disaster.
"No water neva inna di truck!" claimed an irate resident, Paula Evans.
"Everybody woulda burn out if it was not for the citizens of the community!"
HOSE BURST
But district officer John Lee, of the Barnett Street Fire Department, has rebutted the accusations.
"One length of hose burst, but it did not stop our operations," he said. "We had two operational trucks there inclusive of a back-up truck from Ironshore."
The district officer added that it was impossible to save the house as the entire structure was engulfed when the firefighters arrived at the scene.
Amid the chaos Princess 'Joy' Hodges was struggling to keep her composure. One of the five adults who occupied the house, Mrs. Hodges is a mother of six.
"I don't know where I am going to go from here. I am just going to have to rely on the people in the community," she told The Gleaner.
