Two men were left homeless after a fire gutted two houses at Embacadere, San Fernando, on Friday night. Pensioner Leo Sotio grabbed his pillow and ran down the front steps of his burning house as the flames spread rapidly at Lady Hailes Avenue around 9 pm, moments before firefighters arrived to battle the raging inferno. His neighbour Linniss Cooper, 55, was not at home when the fire started.
Police believe the fire began in Cooper’s home and quickly spread to Sotio’s house. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was threatening two other houses belonging to Kim Mohammed and Natalia Carrington. In an interview afterwards, Sotio said he was asleep when he smelt smoke. “When I opened my eyes I saw the reflection of the fire in my bedroom window. The neighbour’s house was already burning down. I didn’t wait. I just picked up the pillow and ran,” Sotio said.
Neighbours quickly started a bucket brigade and a call was made to the San Fernando Fire Station. Mohammed said the firefighters arrived within minutes and began dousing the houses with water. “They really did a good job. If they did not respond, all of our houses would be gone,” Mohammed said. Carrington, who lives with her two children, Triston, six, and Kishorn, two, said she was also grateful her home was saved.
“The fire burn down the stove and the back walls got scorched, but I am thankful that we still have a place to stay,” Carrington said. Cooper said the Office of Disaster Preparedness had provided mattresses, food and clothing. Anyone wanting to help the victims can call 689-0737.
Meanwhile, Iris Sookoo and her family were also left homeless around 3 pm on Friday when fire broke out at their rented home at Seukaran Trace, Fyzabad. Sookoo, her mother, sister and three grandchildren were liming at home when one of her daughters, who was visiting, spotted the fire coming from the rooftop. The family ran for safety and called in the Siparia Fire Station.
However, firefighters were unable to save the house. Chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation Leo Doodnath said the corporation’s Disaster Management Unit (DMU) visited the family and provided mattresses and a temporary food card. The house is owned by Paulina Ramsurat. The cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained. Investigations are continuing.