Heartbreak in St Ann - Three children perish in house fire

"A just lone darkness!"

Those were the haunting words of a grieving Odane Mattis, who yesterday struggled to process the unimaginable loss of three of his children in a tragic house fire.

The blaze claimed the lives of two daughters - Tashawna Mattis, seven, and Tashawnie Mattis, four - and their brother, two-year-old Tavarno Mattis. Only his five-year-old son survived, pulled from the flames by their grandmother.

"Mi frighten mi hear sey mi yute dem burn up in a fire a only one a dem could a save out a four pickney," Mattis said, his voice filled with sorrow.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has expressed profound sorrow and outrage following the tragic fire.

"It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose three innocent lives in such a preventable manner. Every Jamaican child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, and this incident brings into sharp focus the gaps in vigilance and responsible parenting we face as a nation," Holness said.

Last Wednesday, five-year-old girl Kimberly Harrison died in a house fire in Whitehall Avenue in St Andrew. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, noted that four children have died in house fires in these first 12 days of 2025. He said that the same number of children died in house fires for the entire year of 2024.

Last year, 27 people died and 79 people were injured in house fires.

"Most fires are preventable, and we have the power, through the actions we take every single day, to ensure that we prevent further loss of lives and property through fires," McKenzie said. "I am urging every Jamaican to use today's terrible tragedy to decide, once and for all that together, we will prevent incidents like these from happening again."

Chief Executive Officer of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Laurette Adams-Thomas, echoed the call for fire safety vigilance, emphasising the need for parents to ensure their children's safety at all times.

"We implore you to be extra vigilant in the care of your children. Never leave them unsupervised or in situations where their safety may be at risk, especially at home " she said, urging parents to implement home fire safety plans and teach their children what to do in case of a fire.

Prime Minister Holness has directed the relevant authorities to investigate this incident thoroughly and provide every support to the families and the community.

- K.T..