Fire victims struggle amid theft, job loss and minimal aid

A Spanish Town family is appealing for public assistance to rebuild their lives after a fire razed their Old Market Street property on March 9, leaving 13 people, including seven children, homeless.

The inferno reportedly consumed six bedrooms and a small shop in the St Catherine capital, forcing the displaced residents into cramped and precarious living conditions. Seven family members are currently occupying a single room that escaped the flames, while three others are living in a makeshift shed on the premises. The remaining relatives, including a pregnant woman, have sought temporary shelter with friends.

Kennecia Richards, who lived on the property since she was five years old, described the emotional and financial toll on her family as “devastating”.

“Everybody is just traumatised,” Richards told The Gleaner. “My 20-year-old daughter, she’s going through a lot because she lost her job as well. All her stuff she was selling burn up, so she’s depressed. All of us are depressed.”

The family’s plight has been worsened by a series of setbacks in their attempt to rebuild.

Richards, who recently lost her job in the United States, where she has been living for the past two years, said she sent her “rainy day” savings home to begin repairs, but the effort was derailed by criminals.

She said the materials bought were stolen by men in the community, and a man hired to complete the job discontinued his services after a $100,000 deposit.

“This was money that I had for a rainy day. I had to take it out and I send it out there to try and get things going, and him take the money and gone,” she said.

“I’m depressed. I can’t help out the way I’m supposed to help my kids. This is where my kids were born. I have seven kids and five of them were born there. Five of them were born in that place. I had home deliveries with them. So everybody is feeling down and out,” said Richards, who revealed she moved to the property at age five.

She last visited in September.

She said the family turned to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, but noted that assistance came only in the form of a care package.

Richards said one of her daughters was given 2lb of rice, 2lb of sugar, one pack of Lasco, two tins of mackerel, and two tins of tuna.

“They said that’s a care package. No government [representative] come around, and as for the materials there, they are stealing them. The people are stealing them because I didn’t have any more money to get somebody,” she said.

She is appealing for help to “get just one room up”.

“We don’t have to have any furniture in it. Just one room for them to rest them head. Just somewhere for them to lay down, I would be happy,” said Richards.

Her daughter Kimonia Thomas, who also spoke to The Gleaner, said that on the fateful day a “small” bit of smoke was observed coming from one of the rooms on the property and that the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) was called.

She said after there was no response to the initial 1:23 p.m. telephone call, a second call was placed at 1:45 p.m.

Thomas said firefighters arrived some time after 3 p.m., but by then, “the entire place [was] already engulfed”.

She said the family lost most of their possessions, noting that this has caused a mental strain on them.

She said a letter received from the JFB was submitted to the NIS office in the town, and added that documents are to be submitted to Food For The Poor.

“So we haven’t really got much help, just like one and two assistance from people online, but it’s still not a lot. We’re not asking for assistance to complete the entire structure. Just for one bedroom to sustain us until we can do the rest,” said Thomas.

The family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign at: https://gofund.me/5cf66c289

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com

How you can help

. GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/5cf66c289

or

. Bank deposit

First name: KIMONIA

Last name: THOMAS

Bank: Scotiabank

Account type: Savings

Account number: 80275 000862288

Account currency: JMD

or

. Kennecia Richards

Zelle: 5513069624

Apple Pay: 5513069624