Cars damaged as five-year-old starts blaze

Five motor cars were destroyed yesterday after a five-year-old boy playing with matches started a blaze at a garage on Rum Lane in downtown Kingston.

The garage owner was reportedly at a funeral when the youngster, who lives in an adjoining premises, went into the garage with friends and began striking the matches underneath one of the vehicles.

The boy and his friends barely made it out of the garage before the vehicles and nearby cylinders started exploding, sending plumes of black smoke into the air.

The boy's parents later told our news team that they had been looking for him all morning before the fire, which started just after midday. They gave him a tongue-lashing as he looked on, seemingly repentant for his actions.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com