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Rose Lane Family of 7 Homeless After Fire
posted (April 17, 2019)
The life of a family in the St. Martin's area was turned upside down after a fire torched their homes. It happened last night around 10:30 on Rose Lane. There are two houses in the yard and the family of 7 lost everything. Courtney Weatherburne has the story.

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
61 year old Stella B and her husband were relaxing in bed when her neighbors alerted them to the fire.

Stella B, Fire Victim
"I was upstairs then my neighbor son hollered out for me and my gentleman and I came downstairs. We were watching tv upstairs and after I heard them holler, we run come downstairs and when I bent down, I saw fire in my son room so I run upstairs back to see what I could have gotten down. I was pulling the TV, pulling the drawer, I am trying to get out as much as I could have gotten out and when I come out and went back inside, the police see the door open, so he said ma'am come down so it caught the fire at the back so I jumped from off the stairs and down there and I manage to get out, anybody up there, I said no."

Only their belongings were left behind and were all scorched in the blaze. The family lost between 70 to $75,000 dollars in assets. The family says the fire department responded in good time, but there was nothing more that could be done, the fire was already out of control. It seems that a faulty circuit sparked the fire.

Stella B, Fire Victim
"They said it was a switch over my son side."

Courtney Weatherburne:
"So an electrical problem?"

Stella B:
"Yes ma'am."

Courtney Weatherburne:
"But you no know about any electrical problem he had in his room?"

Stella B:
"Well apparently they get light from me the plug was up in my kitchen down into their house."

Fortunately her son and other relatives, including a 4 month old baby, who live in the house at the back were not home at the time.

Stella B, Fire Victim
"My son went to his girlfriend, my grandson went to the village, his girl and the baby went to her mother so the yard was lonesome."

But Stella B isn't lonesome, although it is a hard hit for her especially in this Easter week. Her daughter will help her until she gets back on her feet.

Stella B, Fire Victim
"I don't wish this on..I have no enemies, this put a toll on me, it really put a toll on me."

"But I am coping with my children and other family members."

Shawn Belgrove, Daughter
"Since last night my mom has been with me and tonight and thereafter until this issue is resolved, she will be with me, we are a very large family so I am sure that my nephew and his girlfriend they can go to her mom house and her niece she has her boyfriend and my brother he is a grown man, he has his girlfriend so for them here. The only person I am concerned about is my step father because he has no one else other than my mom but I believe with God and time everything will work out."

If you would like to assist the family you can call 600-8661 or 624-5638.

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