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Lone survivor of Charlestown tragedy on life support
..neighbours count losses
The only survivor in last Saturday’s fire that claimed the lives of four persons, including three children is currently on life support.
Twenty-year-old Yolanda Cort of Lot 2 Drysdale Street Charlestown is unconscious and battling for life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The mother of two was badly burnt in an early morning fire that started at her home around 07:30 hours on Saturday last.
Although she is listed as critical hospital staffers said Cort is able to hear what is happening around her.
Yesterday, several of the woman’s relatives gathered at the hospital to lend support to each other. They described the incident as a particularly terrible one especially since the dead and injured are from one family.
The fire victims try to salvage what’s left of their belongings.
Sharon Cort, the mother of dead Princess International Hotel employee, Abiola Taylor, said that she received news of the fire via a cell phone call from her son who explained that her niece, daughter and their children perished in a fire. The Bartica resident said she immediately journeyed to the city after receiving the news.
Sharon Cort said she was at a loss as to how the fire started even as she visited the fire scene and entered the burnt building. According to her the front half of the house was badly damaged along with Yolanda Cort’s room. She explained that her daughter’s room was still intact along with most of her belongings.
Another relative, Candacie Cort, said that the back of the girl’s home was slightly damaged. The cousin noted that the bathroom area had not been touched by the fire as the washing machine and other toiletry items were in good condition.
Abiola’s mother said the post mortem examinations of her dead family are scheduled for today. Following that, she said funeral arrangements would be made.
In the meantime, Nonifa Knights and her husband Trevor Kellman are still trying to assess their losses since most of their belongings were ruined when fire rescuers doused the blazing house.
The parents of three minors live in the lower flat of the rented Lot 2 Drysdale Street apartment. Knights, who works at Humphrey’s Bakery, lost her television, radio and other appliances.
Clothing and food items were also destroyed when the house was soaked by fire fighters.
Kellman, who is a miner, said his wife called sometime on Saturday informing him about the fire. The man said he was at the time posted in Mahdia, but as soon as he received the call, “ I had to drop what I was doing and run.” Kellman and his wife said they are in the process of listing the damaged items as requested by the police.
For now, the family said they are grateful to neighbours who have assisted in keeping their children when night steps in. She said the soaked house in unsuitable for them, but right now, “It is one step at a time.”
Twenty- three- year-old Abiola Taylor and her four-year-old son, Justin Taylor; three-year-old Kelisha Solomon and her one-year-old sister Akesha Cordis lost their lives in the fire.
Many have however speculated that the blazed started in the front half of the house while the occupants were still asleep in the heavily grilled apartment.
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