Mentally ill man burns down family home

The tiny house at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Matura Street went up in flames around 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning. How the fire started is no mystery, as family members saw one of their own relatives, Albert Matura, douse the floor with kerosene and light a match. According to Dorla Matura, who lives in the same yard, her brother is a mental patient, who had not been taking his medication. Three people, including their mother, were sleeping in the house at the time and with help from neighbours they were all saved.

Dorla Matura, Daughter of Fire Victim

“When I come outside I saw my brother with this gallon, but I thought it was water. So when I saw him go into the house with the gallon and then I see him start to throw and then I see the match and I saw that it was oil. By that time I holler and said, “Billy, Billy, Albert has the house on fire let’s go for Ma.” That’s how we ran in and grabbed my Ma with the baby under my arm and I ran outside and told the other girl run. She ran outside and I put her in a car because I got so frightened and then when she gone into the car the house dropped in the middle. Everything we lost, everything we don’t have anything to wear, nothing at all.”

Jacqueline Woods

“So what is the family doing right now?”

Dorla Matura

“Well we are trying to ask for help and like we no see nothing the happen yet and then she is punishing. Nothing to eat and like that not even clothes.”

Matura says she is appealing to the public for any assistance that can be given. In the meantime the family say they refuse to bring any charges against their brother because he is sick and is in need of medical attention