One mentally ill man has been detained for allegedly starting a fire that destroyed a woman's home and almost killed her. It was just after 12:00 when the fire broke out on Banak street, but the perpetrator is no stranger to the victim. Her mother, who owns the property, which contains two houses, explained that her daughter lives alone in the lower flat of the home at the front, but that her nephew, who is mentally challenged, sometimes enters the upstairs to be alone. This time, however, he inexplicably reportedly lit a fire that got out of control. The homeowner, Shana Tillett, told us more.
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"I wasn't at home, I was at work but they called me and said the house is on fire."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you know what started the fire?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"No, but my son said it was the mattress upstairs, my nephew, he's not too correct, he probably smoked his cigarette and left it on the mattress and burnt it."
Reporter:
"Was he here on his own or was he with your son?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"He and my son stay upstairs here but I don't know what is the reason he wants to be over there because over there is for my niece and nobody lives up there."
Reporter:
"Is this the first time he has done something like this?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"The first time he try burn down."
Courtney Menzies:
"What kind of mental condition does he suffer with?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"I'm not sure, I have to ask his dad. But I know he has schizophrenia, I don't know what else he's diagnosed with."
Courtney Menzies:
"You don't know why he prefers over that side?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"He just wants to be by himself because he wants to do all kinds of things, have the place looking crazy and have all kind of rubbish that he can do anything and throw anything anywhere but when he's around somebody, he doesn't do that."
"He was upstairs, she lives downstairs and she didn't know the fire until everything burnt up, almost her too. She was sleeping and didn't smell the fire."
"She just bought her fridge, I don't know how somebody couldn't help her take out that fridge, $900."
Courtney Menzies:
"And she lost all her clothes and everything?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"Everything, you see I gave her a pants. Everything."
Courtney Menzies:
"Did any part of your house get damaged?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"Just round the back but thank God it's not the whole place because I just spent $3,000, saved my money to buy my fridge and my machine and my kids' mattress."
Reporter:
"Has this individual ever been like a threat to your family or recently have you seen a change in his behavior?"
Shana Tillett, Fire Victim
"Not really, it's just the same, how he stands, sometimes he gets aggressive with you and he talks crazy to you and tell you he will do you this or so but me as his aunty, I'm already used to him like that but people out there they would want to knock him, hurt him and then the way how he talks to them like they would want to do him something but he just talks out of his head, he won't do anything unless they fool with him."
If you would like to assist this family, they can be reached at 602-4520.
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