Family homeless after fire destroys dwelling house

Just two days into the new year, Claudette Stewart and her four children are homeless, after a fire destroyed their home on Gem Road, off Maxfield Avenue, early Friday morning.

The mother of two, who also takes care of two children whose mother reportedly abandoned them, told THE STAR that all five of them were at home sleeping when one of the children, who was sleeping on the floor, made an alarm after discovering that the house was ablaze.

Stewart, who could barely speak through her constant tears, told THE STAR, "Sometime after 12 going to one, mi an di four kids in di house. Di door nuh have di kinda lock whe yu can use key, so mi put one padlock pan it from di inside. Wi deh pan di bed, an fi tell yu di truth, to how mi tired, mi nuh hear nuttin. A di likkle bwoy feel di fire."

school-related items

In the panic and chaos that followed, Stewart said she was unable to find the key to the lock and was forced to kick the door open. Traumatised and still in shock, Stewart ran from the burning house, leaving her sister, who lives nearby, to attend to the firefighters who responded. She said, " Mi run, mi and di kids dem run. Wi age paper, wi clothes, everyting gone. Everyting burn up, nutten nuh lef. Mi couldn't face it."

The children, ages 10, 12, 13 and 14, lost all their school-related items, including text books the eldest child had rented from her high school. When they visited THE STAR's offices, they all looked dejected and depressed, clearly unsure of what their next move would be or where they would lay their heads.

Stewart, who works as a garbage collector, could not hold back the tears as she related her story. She told THE STAR she had no family to look to for help, just her sister, who was not in a position to help.

naked and dirty

Her job does not pay much and she will have to stay with friends or neighbours until she gets back on her feet. She said, "A jus di clothes pan wi back wi have. Di house flat. Last night, mi run go ova one a mi fren dem, an mi sen di pickney dem go ova a yard go sleep. Di pickney dem naked and dirty."

"I don't know where to go. Di children dem have school Monday an wi lose everyting," she said, before another round of tears started to flow.

Though the cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained, Stewart thinks it was deliberately set.

The Admiral Town Police confirmed that a report about the fire had been made. THE STAR also learnt that Stewart had earlier made a report about threats she had received.

Stewart is asking anyone who can assist her and the children, to do so. She is especially concerned about the well-being of the children and the fact that all five of them are homeless at the start of the new year.

Anyone willing to assist Stewart may contact her through sister Sandra Reid, at 507-0406.