First came gunfire, and then there was a devastating blaze. Tragedy has returned to T Street, where a family lost its home and most of its belongings in a fire Thursday night. The flames erupted shortly before ten, leaving the family with little more than the clothes they escaped in. While investigators work to determine the cause, one relative believes the fire may have been deliberately set. The family is now turning to the public for help as it tries to rebuild. Ashlyn Diaz recalls the frightening moments from inside the house.
On the Phone: Ashlyn Diaz, Fire Victim
“Da same night deh I mi di look fi move out an go inn awa apartment and I sit down pan di bed and my mind just tell me get up and in a short time inna like two minutes time, I get up, walk outside and swing round back, the whole house deh inna flames. I mi couldn’t do nothing nothing.”
Britney Gordon
“Okay, and you weren’t injured, though?”
On the Phone: Ashlyn Diaz
“I get burn pon my hand affa di thing ney weh done mi drop from upstairs from my sister, Breeze mussi mi di blow and then they mi di blow lee plastic or so. Dende da like lee minor burn.”
Britney Gordon
“And you weren’t able to save anything besides your phone?”
On the Phone: Ashlyn Diaz
“Yes because I get up and I mi have it inna my hand and I just walk outside like minutes and by the time I swing round back da because the whole house done de pon flames already. And I neva had nothing on besides one light mek I mi see what all I mi di haul out fi move. And everything destroy for me. Everything. By the time I run inside fi check see if da inna my house di fire di come from, da from side of the wall, the fire done the blaze.”
The family is urgently seeking clothing and other basic necessities. Those who would like to assist can contact the family at 634-5037.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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