Another MoBay fire leaves 12 persons homeless

FOR THE second time in less than a week, fire has done extensive damage to homes in an inner-city community of Montego Bay, St. James, leaving residents homeless and in desperate need of assistance.

In what fire fighters suspect is a case of arson, three board houses were destroyed along Agate Lane in downtown Montego Bay, shortly before 11 p.m. on Wednesday night. Twelve people were left homeless following the raging inferno.

"I just came in from work and lay down to sleep and about two minutes after I hear, 'fire, fire' and when I got up and look around the back (of the house) all I see was fire racing towards my room," said Davion Powell, one of the affected residents.

Alecia Stone, a tenant, who was also affected, told The Gleaner that she was lucky to be outside at the time the fire razed the houses. According to her, the flames were quick in spreading to the upstairs apartment, which she shared with another relative who was not home at the time.

"The fireman came but by the time they manage to run come in the lane the fire catch this yah house yah (while pointing to another apartment)," Stone outlined. While firefighters were uncertain about what started the blaze, a number of persons were of the view that it was deliberately set.

Wednesday night's fire comes a mere three days after another fire destroyed four homes in the nearby Canterbury community, leaving some five families homeless.

While nobody suffered any physical injuries as a result of the fire, thousands of dollars worth of valuables and personal belongings were either seriously damaged or destroyed as residents only managed to save a few items.