The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia

A FATHER of seven spent much of yesterday combing through the charred remains of his home at a shantytown off Cowpen Road, searching for anything that may have survived the blaze that tore through the area Wednesday night.

“We lost everything, there is nothing left,” the man, who did not want to be named and is a Haitian national, said. He now fears immigration officers will take him and his family away because, he said, all their documents were destroyed when his house burned down.

His family is one of seven that are displaced after Wednesday night’s fire. In total, eight adults and 20 children were left homeless.

The massive blaze started shortly after 9pm and quickly spread through the small community, just west of Fire Trail Road. Fire Chief Superintendent Walter Evans said all fire trucks in New Providence were immediately dispatched to the scene. When officers arrived on the scene they found four homes completely engulfed in flames.

The cause of the blaze has yet to be determined.

When The Tribune arrived on the scene on Thursday, the families were attempting to clean the charred wood and salvage personal items that were not destroyed. Their search was in vain.

The father said he has nothing left. HE said he does not know where his wife and children will sleep tonight.

“I woke up and I saw fire. Everything was on fire. I don’t know how it got started, but I just wanted to get everyone out of the house,” the man said.

“I was sleeping and next thing I know fire was everywhere. We tried to get water and out the fire, but it was not enough. Everyone was screaming. We just wanted to get the children out. We lost everything – clothes, bed, everything.

“All my immigration papers for me and my wife gone. We have seven children and nowhere for them to go. We slept on the floor in one of the houses that burned down but we can’t stay there. All the children school uniforms are gone. They didn’t go to school today, I don’t know when they will go back because we don’t have anything for them to wear. I don’t know what we are going to do. Everything is gone.”

Activist Louby Georges was in the community on Thursday attempting to help the residents get assistance. He made a plea to the public to help the families in any way they can.

“On behalf of the residents, we are asking for help and assistance in any shape or form,” he said.

“No help is too small because these people lost everything. So they need everything, clothing, school items for the kids, clothing for adults, food items, they need absolutely everything. Anything you can think of please bring. You can give me a call at 810-1665 for directions or if you want me to collect items for you.”

The investigation into the cause of the fire continues.