Unspeakable grief as 5-y-o dies in fire

"Oh God, Jody, oh God, mi baby!" were the heart-wrenching words screamed by the mother of five-year-old Kimberly Harrison as the young girl's body was carried out of their St Andrew home yesterday.

Kimberly perished in a fire that began shortly after 2 p.m. at the family's home on 14 Whitehall Avenue. Residents quickly noticed smoke pouring from the front of the three-bedroom concrete house, which had a wooden structure attached at the back. John Tamasa, one of the two brave rescuers who sprang into action to try and assist, managed to take Kimberly's grandmother and another man to safety. However, he failed in his attempt to re-enter the house to rescue young Kimberly.

"I attempted to go where the child is but the fire start blazing and the smoke push me back out," said Tamasa. "I heard her calling for help and screaming...and I couldn't do anything because if I went in there to help her myself would be knocked out," he added.

Assistant Superintendent of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Courtney Thompson, of the York Park Fire Station, confirmed that they received a call about the fire at approximately 2:53 p.m. and the Half-Way Tree Fire Station was dispatched. But when the firefighters arrived, the house was already fully engulfed in flames. After battling the blaze, they discovered Kimberly's body in the bathroom. It appeared she had succumbed to smoke inhalation, and her body was partially burned. As a result of the fire, four people, including young Kimberly's 12-year-old brother, have been left homeless.

Upon hearing the tragic news, the principal of Rosedale Primary School, Jasset Stubb's-Hussey, rushed to the scene. Tearfully, she spoke to THE STAR about Kimberly's bright and loving nature.

"I can't believe this," she said. "She's so loving, she will come at the office door and just knock at the office and seh 'Miss a just come to give yuh a hug' and a guh to her and she run gone up to her class," she added.