Children 11 and 8, perish in Lodge fire

Aug 26, 2013 News

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 “I heard one of them hitting the door and screaming for help to come out but there was nothing that could be done because the place was grilled up” – Eyewitness.

By Javone Vickerie

Two children were burnt to death at around 04:00 hrs yesterday, after a fire of unknown origin destroyed their Lot 17 Joseph Pollydore home.
Adam Marshall, 11, and his eight-year-old sister, Shania Marshall were reportedly trapped in the bottom flat of their heavily-grilled apartment, despite efforts by residents to rescue them.
Their mother, Odessa Thomas, 36, and their 13-year-old brother Harold Marshal both suffered burns to their hands and were admitted to the Burn Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Fire officials believe that the blaze started at the bottom flat of the old, two-storey wooden building. The premises reportedly had no electricity and some residents speculated that a lighted candle could have caused the blaze.
A senior fire official told Kaieteur News that they had received reports that the children were at home alone when the fire started, but the child who survived has told investigators that his mother was at home. The official said that investigators from the Fire Department had still not questioned the mother who was heavily-sedated.
However, residents of the area said that they saw Ms. Thomas exiting a car before she entered the burning building and alerted the children to wake up.
“She come out the car and run in the yard and she calling out for they name but nobody didn’t answering, so she go to the front door and push it when the fire bun she hand”, the eyewitness said.
The man added that Thomas then walked out of the yard.
“She been looking for the car she come with, but the taxi man de done left so people start busing  she because she operate like she didn’t care”, the source said.
Another neighbour told Kaieteur News that the child who survived had awakened and jumped through a back window, making his way to the front of the yard where he met his mother.
“Is only because they had police people in the area because all ah we wuda do fuh she”, a resident said.
The fire official who spoke with Kaieteur News said that investigators were told that a fire had broken out at the premises about a month ago while the children were home alone, and that residents had to kick down a door to rescue them.
A female resident told Kaieteur News that she was awakened at around 04:00 hrs yesterday after smelling smoke in her home.
“I was sleeping and then all of a sudden I felt like something choking me and when I got up I see the thick smoke coming from within the next house so I quickly called the fire service”.
She added that about 10 minutes after the fire started, she saw Odessa Thomas and her eldest child running out of the burning house, but the other children were nowhere to be seen.

“Soon as I see she come out the house with she son I said that the other two children musse get away again and gone somewhere, because she had to resort to locking them in the house because they use to get away”, the neighbour added.
The woman said that a few minutes after the woman emerged from the blaze she was told the horrifying news that the other two children were trapped inside. She immediately collapsed.
“Ow muh children ow lawd wuh meh do yuh, tek me not meh children dem oh father”, the mother wailed as she was placed on a stretcher and taken to the GPHC.
Another eyewitness, Pierre David, told Kaieteur News that the screams of one child calling for help still replays in his mind.
“I get a call from my girl that one of the houses through the area deh pon fire so I immediately rushed down right away because my mother lives not too far from where it happened”.
He added that while at the scene he heard the cries of a child coming from within the house. “I heard one them hitting the door and screaming for help to come out but there was nothing that could be done because the place was grilled up really bad for an old house”, David said.
David said he then alerted other residents that someone was inside the burning house, but by the time they tried to enter the house the flames had spread and the child’s cries had stopped.
“The fire service took a while to come so we tried to see who was inside, but the fire get mo big and is an old wooden building already, so it took no time to burn”, the man said.
Residents said that about two months ago, the same house almost caught afire while the children were left alone at home.
“We see the house start smoking from downstairs so me and some men go in through the back and get out the children and they was alone”, a resident said.
Another resident suggested that the children were left unsupervised “again” in the house when the fire occurred.
“You know how much times we been to the welfare office for she because first thing the building has no electricity and she does go out and leave them with candle light in the house; it has no water because the children does have to fetch water from people yard. I mean come on we understand is five a dem she got to fend fuh but thing like candle and small children you does have to be careful and I could put me head on a block that is a candle cause the fire”, a resident said.
Meanwhile, loud cries of anguish broke out in the community of Lodge after undertakers eventually removed the two charred bodies from the still smoldering debris.
Some spectators also ran from the scene as the bodies were placed on the ground side by side; burnt beyond recognition.
Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle told reporters that just around 4:30 am yesterday fire fighters were notified that there was a fire in progress at the said address. Gentle added that units from West Ruimveldt, Campbellville and Alberttown were all dispatched to the scene, having received word that the building was already engulfed.
The Fire Chief added that the firefighters were informed that persons were unaccounted for and as such, when the fire was contained they made the discovery of the two children.
“From all indications these children were trapped and could not have gained access out of the house even though there were no grills to the rear entrance. It is clear to me the persons were trapped in their rooms and the fire started somewhere in one of the rooms”, Gentle said.
Gentle added that the fire service has so far proven that the building had no “legitimate” power but this will still have to be investigated. “Some of the fire ranks reported that they received minor shocks while putting out the blaze.”
Gentle however commended the fire fighters for the approach for saving the other nearby properties.
Last September, five people, including three children, perished after a fire of still-unknown origin destroyed a house in Drysdale Street, Charlestown.

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