Trinidad: Suspect charged in early morning blaze that killed four people

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Police have laid murder charges against a 32-year-old man who allegedly set fire to an apartment in a five storey building in the volatile Laventille area last week resulting in the deaths of four people, including three children.



Media reports said that the suspect was recently released from prison.



Among the casualties of the early morning fire that gutted the top floor of the building belonging to the state-owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) last Tuesday, were three children, including 10 month-old Destiny Young, whose charred remains were found in one of the apartments.



Police spokesman, Sergeant Wayne Mystar told reporters that those killed included Lisa Charles, the 46-year-old common law wife of one of the brothers allegedly involved in the fracas; 15-year-old Akim Young and two-year-old Anesha Young.



He said Charles and the 15-year-old died after jumping from the building and that “several persons also jumped from the top floor in a bid to escape”. Mystar said four of those persons are in a serious condition at hospital.



Police said that the 32-year-old suspect had been detained at another location and were “appealing to anyone who may have information concerning the incident to contact the police.



Most of the people displaced by the fire have been accommodated at a government housing scheme and Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar ordered that all HDC apartment complexes be retrofitted with fire escapes to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy.



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