Portmore fire leaves 20 homeless

Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

Fire yesterday gutted three houses and damaged two others on Begonia Drive in the Portmore, St Catherine, community of Hamilton Gardens, leaving 20 people, including six children, homeless.

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) stated that about 8:45 a.m., residents saw fire coming from one of the buildings and summoned the police.

"The blaze was put out by five fire units drawn from the Spanish Town and Portmore fire departments," CCN stated.

Loss at one residence was estimated to be $7 million. The police said four of the dwellings were insured.

"I don't even save a shirt. I was upstairs this morning when my daughter told me she smelled smoke," said one of the victims, Errol Scott, 20. "By the time I tried to save anything, smoke and fire already engulfed the place."

Happened before

Other residents said it was not the first time fire of that magnitude had ravaged a section of the housing scheme.

"In April 2007, we had a massive fire along Sunflower Drive. This had left a number of residents homeless, and now this. The roofing will have to be changed so that when one house catches fire, it doesn't affect so many dwellings," said a woman, looking on.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the St Catherine Parish Disaster Committee said it was able to mobilise some assistance for the affected residents.

"We have informed our emergency personnel and we are in a position to help these persons," said Councillor Camille Buchanan.

The cause of the blaze is unknown, the police said yesterday afternoon.