Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Tragedy struck in the Pedlar's Lane area of Mt Salem in Montego Bay yesterday afternoon when a five-year-old girl perished in a fire that gutted a 10-room two-storey family house and partially damaged an adjoining dwelling.

Dead is Christina Johnson, a student of the Cornwall Gardens Basic School, whose charred remains were found by firefighters during cooling-down operations. At least 10 persons were left homeless.

Reports are that shortly after 3:00 p.m., Carolene Davis, the mother of the deceased child, was outside doing her laundry when she observed smoke and fire coming from the building. She immediately raised an alarm and ran inside in search of her three children.

Christina missing

After rescuing her five-month-old baby and her two-year-old son and then battling her way back out of the flames, she realised that Christina was missing she feared that she was still in the house, she was not able to re-enter the building, which by then had become completely engulfed.

When The Gleaner arrived at the scene, Clinton Johnson, the father of the deceased child, who was away at work when the fire started, was seen crying and rummaging through the smouldering building, calling out his daughter's name.

"Chrissie, come to daddy nuh, Chrissie, come to daddy nuh," wailed Johnson. "Lawd Jesus! A just Wednesday she celebrate her birthday, a just Wednesday she turn five year old."

Councillor Avrie Rose-Green, who was early on the scene and was among the large crowd trying to console family members as they wept openly, said she would be spearheading arrangements to assist the family as soon as she got a chance to assess their immediate needs.

"It is rather tragic and I can't help but grieve with the families," said Rose-Green. "The first order of business is to find a place for them to stay tonight (last night). So I am now appealing to any neighbours who can assist to do so."

Head of the Montego Bay Fire Brigade, assistant superintendent Danny Wallace, said preliminary investigations had failed to determine the cause of the fire. However, he said a special team would be carrying out a more detailed analysis.

"In terms of the damage to structure and household items in the two buildings, I would put the damage at approximately J$18 million," Wallace said.