ROUGH DAYS AHEAD - James Town residents ponder future after fire destroys 15 houses

Stephanie Ferguson and other residents from James Town in Kencot, St Andrew, sit helplessly outside under a tarpaulin after they lost everything due to a fire last Saturday. A total of 15 houses were destroyed and three days later, they sit surrounded by debris, in the spot where their homes used to be.

Ferguson told THE STAR that she only managed to save the clothes she was washing at her neighbour's house.

"Me lose everything. The whole house flat. Me did have two TV, entertainment centre, me fridge, me bed, everything. Couch did inna me living room and dat gone. Me did ova me friend house a wash and someone shout out 'fire! fire! fire!' By the time me run out and look up, the whole place a bun dung," she recalled.

After being alerted about the fire, Ferguson attempted to run to her house but couldn't get in because of raging flames.

" Right now me just siddung a look, I swear ... I don't know what to do. I don't have no likkle food item ... everything gone," she said.

Main concern

Currently, her main concern is her six-year-old daughter.

"She go school this morning (yesterday) because I got some regular clothes and her teacher seh she can wear dem. Me jus need help wid me daughter ... me nuh want har fi stop go school. Me will gwane thug it out as long as she alright. She need back her books, bag, she nuh have no uniform, no shoes, no clothes," she said.

Lavern Gelly, another resident, lost everything.

"Now, I'm outside. I'm under this tarpaulin looking back on the spot where my house used to be. Still, I'm giving God thanks for life," she said.

"Some important documents gone too. I've retrieved my birth paper and my passport but everything else gone. My husband lost his passport and everything. My husband and I were at work."

Gelly says when she thinks about the fact that her 10-year-old daughter could've died, she continues to thank God.

"My daughter just came in from school, put down her bag and change off her clothes and she said she saw the smoke coming over. Her auntie called her out and she just ran out of the house leaving everything. I'm giving God thanks that she's here ... she have life!" she said.

Stephanie Ferguson may be contacted at 876-298-9609

Lavern Gelly may be contacted at 876-363-6745.