Downtown Kingston fire leaves 16 people homeless

Sixteen people, including four children, are now homeless after fire destroyed their homes along Charles Street and Luke Lane in downtown Kingston this morning.

The fire reportedly started about 8:30 am, and engulfed four homes.

Firefighters are currently investigating the cause.

Four units from the Rollington Town Fire Station, Trench Town Fire Station and the York Park Fire Station responded to the blaze.

Asharie Grant, a resident of Luke Lane said her grandson was the one who first realised that their house was on fire and alerted her.

"When mi look tru di window a bay fire mi see, mi start bawl out cause mi just see bay smoke. Been time mi run out, the lady weh fi har house fi fire ketch inna, she nuh in deh- a odda people come in a throw water," she said.

She said she lost everything in the fire. "Mi nuh know weh fi do now," she said. "[Mi lose] everything...chesta draw, dresser bed, mi two fridge, mi just buy di deep freeze and mi sell juice," she said.

By the time Annette Wright was alerted to the fire it was already too late. She told The Gleaner that she panicked, as this was the second time a fire was destroying her home.

She managed to remove a few suitcases, but lose everything else to the fire, including more than $300,000 that she, a bar owner, intended to use for her business.

Still shocked, Wright believes she would have fared better had the fire brigade arrived earlier.

"Mi blame di fire brigade. People all ride go up deh, drive go up deh, and a dis. Mi nah lie, mi feel so upset bout dem," she said. Everything mi buy mi pay tax, suh weh dem fa, cause if dem did come my yard wouldn't ketch."

However Valerie Dixon, superintendent with responsibility for operations for the Kingston and St Andrew division, said the fire brigade responded swiftly.

"The moment we got the call, we dispatched the units and more than three stations would have responded to the call," she said.

- Sashana Small

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