The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT - Several persons are homeless after fire destroyed a four-unit apartment building in the Forbisher Drive area on Saturday. Solange Monestine, the apartment owner, was not at home at the time of the blaze. It has been suggested that her grandchildren, who were at home alone, might have started the fire. Monestime was devastated and collapsed into the arms of several persons after returning from her shop in the downtown area - not far away - to find the building ablaze. Asst Supt Clarence Reckley reported that sometime around 2.35pm on Saturday the Police Fire branch received a report of a house fire at No 117 Forbisher Drive. When The Tribune arrived at the scene around 2:45pm, no fire units were at the scene and flames and thick smoke had completely engulfed the building. Several police patrol units and an ambulance were at the scene. A crowd had also gathered in the area. Some eyewitness reported that the police fire unit had arrived with no water. Then, there were other reports that firefighters had run out of water. Sometime around 3.10pm, firefighters returned to the scene. The airport's fire team unit also responded and assisted in extinguishing the blaze. ASP Reckley said the single story, four-unit structure was totally destroyed. He reported that "no one was injured " in the fire. He noted that three of the units were occupied. Ms Monestine, with her adult children and grandchildren, also lived in the apartment building. Police investigations are continuing into the cause of the fire. The building was valued about at $200,000.