Yesterday we told you about a fire at a long barracks in the village of Seine Bight that left 30 people homeless. We also told you about the bucket brigade of villagers who banded together to fight the flames. Nevertheless, the building burned to the ground. And, today, Cherisse Halsall went south to get a firsthand perspective on the devastation caused:

14 families are homeless today after this building burned to the ground and the question right now is what could have started a fire in a location where up to thirty people lived.

Kenneth Mortis - Station Supervisor
"We learnt that it originated in the room number one of the 14-barracks structure. And the cause of this fire was due to an electrical overload. What happened, both structures, they were being fed with electricity of one switchbox and the said room in question was heavily electrically operated. Everything that you can think about in a house was in that one room. So, our team of investigators in Placencia confirmed that the cause of the fire was an electrical overload."

And while the fire department determined the cause, the impact can only be known by the 30 people left homeless:

Gregory Shepard - Brother of Fire Victim
"Well my sister has two kids living with her in the house, well 4 of them but they just separate, right across in the same yard but at the time the next sister with the baby never deh home right, so we just thank god that everything was alright. Yesterday I don't really know what happened because I was home at my common law's house and I the take a lee rest and the smoke wake up me because when I reach outside and thing and I notice what the happen, I see the first and second house the get burn, the first house consume and the second. So me and my next brother just try manoeuvre in my sister house and try take out what we need to take out, thank god we no get hurt or nobody get hurt in the spot. We try manoeuvre to take out certain thing and da is what she glad for and thing you get the sense because we glad to because nobody get hurt end of the day. Well my niece and my little nephew they can't take it because they say their house burn down and they no know when they will sleep but we bless, we got shelter for my niece and my nephew and my sister."

Reporter
"What did you see yesterday when the fire started?"

Neighbours
"Just the house the burn down and people just the panic and only that I see."

Reporter
"So then after that what happened?"

Neighbours
"Well actually when I reach in from school, I see the back road full and thing and I'm like what the happen but I get the news at school how the long barracks burn because one of my teacher show we the live and it was close to my house, so I like of shocked because I mi think burn down but my teacher said no, just chip our house an inch, so I left shocked."

Reporter
"Were you surprised at how the community react yesterday?"

Neighbours
"Well I was very surprised ma'am because well I see a whole pile of Seine Bight people come out and just this fire like man, we very sad for the families because some of the people whe the fire thing, is my people too, so it just hurt me that they no have no where to stay, they no have nothing, no food. The children they can't go to school because they no have no uniform and thing like that and nothing no di there, they no have the support mien."

And, it's true, this child didn't attend school today instead he came to look over the remains of the home he and his mother shared. We found him being comforted by a neighbour and she told us how frightening it was to watch her home being consumed by fire.

Dona Dorothy Cayetano - Fire Victim
"Then deh time now I just di bring in my stuff and that's how I said I would fix up the place, nice up my room. Whilst we are there, I smell plastic. So I told Valarie, Val you know what? I smell plastic you know and by the time we peep out, fire done the start, it was so frightening. I got frighten and the thing is most of the workers wasn't at home, you know. Everybody room lock, so it was only me, Val and I think another tenant, I think a Spanish lady, one we were around. So when the fire started, nobody wasn't around you know. So we get frightened, the poor lady Val, well she run out and make the alarm that fire the happen back ya because nobody was around, nobody mi the expect it and so Ms. Valerie run out there and make alarm that the fire is on and that's how everybody come. When everybody come, the house done mi the burn already and everybody the try broke pipe, use bucket you know, everybody the try out the fire, then long after is when the fire engine come. When the fire engine come, the barracks was done destroyed already and even Mr. Marin's house, you can see had fire, almost for burnt too, so they had to assist too and it was so nice that everybody come and cooperate and try to out the fire and I applaud them for that. So me now, I have to run in the house now, in the smoke, they are telling me don't go in deh but I still the go in there and try save some of my stuff you know. I saved some but I lose some."

The Village Council has stepped up to offer as much assistance as possible to the fire victims. Village councillor Marlon Ramirez along with his cousin Vice-Chairman Kirwin Ramirez were also first responders and later they worked with the Chairman to secure supplies from local shops and open up the community centre to shelter those who were displaced.

Marlon Ramirez - Village Councillor
"When I got here, the flame was already up, was a big flame and it was high enough and it was running to other people house and the flame was really big though. Well as I get here I assisted them with my water, my family and friends came along with me and we did assist the people them in dying down the fire because the fire was too high and the heat was on. That was all I had to do when I got here because I can't out that me one, me and the amount of guys that was here, we had to wait for the fire truck to come on. Thirty people were living in this place actually, a total of 15 because they had a house over there whereby the land lord, she lived over there so it's actually 15 houses, 15 rooms and all of them just gone like that. Last night we gathered up at the community centre whereby we have some families who came in and have them get some needs and other stuff that they need, or for them to sleep but it was a whole mess yesterday for the people who lost this."

Again, 30 people including children were displaced. If you'd like to offer assistance to those that lost their homes in today's fire you can contact the vice-chairman by email at kirwinramirez@gmail.com or on Instagram @kirwinRamirez6741.

The building destroyed in yesterday's Seine Bight fire was valued at $65,000. It was not insured.