Residents Lose Everything in Towering Blaze

Alan Gotoy, who has lived in one of the homes since childhood, told News Five today that there was very little he could have done to save his belongings.  Everything he owned was destroyed by fire.

Alan Gotoy, Fire Victim

“I was sleeping, alright, and the girl that stayed next door with me called me, ih seh, “Alan, Alan…” I asked, “What do you want?” Ih she, “Fire, fire.” I said, “What?” And when I rush over the path, the place mi under flames. You see the yellow smoke with the black, but ih start from dah back, from upstairs. Me and my brother, I tell ahn mien, lets come out of here because of the lotta smoke, we can’t safe nothing. And dah soh we come out.”

Isani Cayetano

“I understand that the fire also spread to other properties within the vicinity…”

Alan Gotoy

Alan Gotoy

“Yeah, the club, Fenders right there…the whole of Fenders destroyed, the top. And then this building right here, it scorched to the side and then this next building right ya, the roof.”

Isani Cayetano

“Can you give us an idea of how many families were displaced by this fire?”

Alan Gotoy

“Well yo have me and mi brother….yo have two, four, six…and over the next side about eight persons total.”

Isani Cayetano

“What are the extent of the damages you’ve suffered in the wake this fire, in terms of the monetary value of the property and what have you?”

Alan Gotoy

“Well the property dah mi never mines. From I born, I live right around here and the property belong to the Cocoms. Well I lose minor things like mi TV, my parlor set, bed and whatnot.”

Isani Cayetano

“And what have you been doing in the immediate aftermath of the fire to try to get your life back to normal?”

Alan Gotoy

“Well I know a lot of good people. Yo have the ministers them and the area residents and everybody come to me immediately and help me in all kinda way. So right now I am alright at this moment.”

The total estimated cost of damages caused by the fire is yet to be determined.