Fire kills 7 kids; dad escapes

It was the most tragic fire since a mother and six daughters died on Racecourse Street way back in 1964. But Monday night’s deadly blaze did not take place in the crowded confines of the old capital’s ancient neighbourhoods. This disaster struck in the upwardly mobile suburb of Belama. News 5 was on the scene as the fireman began to remove the charred bodies. Ann-Marie Williams reports.

Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting

Seven children perished last night as their trailer home at 253 Signa Yorke Extension in the Belama Phase Two area of the city went up in smoke.

According to Assistant Fire Chief Norris Fisher, the authorities responded promptly.

Norris Fisher, Assistant Fire Chief

“The National Fire Service arrived on the scene at 11:07 and on arrival our crew found a mobile home engulfed in flames. They got into operation and while setting up, they were informed that someone was in the house. Having the fire under control, we sent in our people, two crews, and they discovered first one body and then after that they found five and then someone on the streets began shouting that there are more children, and we finally ended up with seven bodies.”

The seven bodies were identified as Leticia Vasquez, thirteen years old, Maria ten, Marika eight, Christina six, Keisha four, Loretta two and baby Anastacio Vasquez Jr., a mere nine months old.

All seven children were at home at the time of the fire with their father, thirty-six year old Anastacio Sr. Their thirty-year old mother Elizabeth Gibson, and her twelve-year-old daughter Rosita, were visiting a neighbourhood friend just up the street from where the fire started.

The fire started from a candle in the dining area of this two-bedroom mobile home. The candle was set on a cloth on top of the refrigerator. Once the cloth ignited, the flames quickly rose up to the ceiling, spread laterally and descended in this area… the bedroom in front where some of the children were sleeping on the floor while the father was on the remains of this single bed, near this window.

Eyewitness and neighbour, Howell Longsworth, said he heard a loud banging on the door.

Howell Longsworth, Eyewitness

“Mr. Itza, somebody from the Police Department, he was apparently going home, passed the fire and tried to break in to take out the kids. The husband had jumped through the window in order to… well of course he saw the intensity of the fire and he start knocking on the building to get the kids up.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“When Itza was trying to knock on the door, the husband had already gone?”

Howell Longsworth

“No, the husband was still outside, knocking, trying desperately to wake up the kids. By the time we came out and approached the fire to assist in whatever we could do, because I knew the kids were in there, the fire was so intense that we could not approach the trailer. The father ran down the lane to call the mother who apparently went out.”

Lovette Nunez, Eyewitness

“I was woken by a neighbour and shortly after I opened my window I saw two fire engines coming around the lane. I think that the response was quick compared to when they woke me and I saw them. I refused to go because I have my children and I wanted to make sure that if the woke up they saw us. Until the very ending of it, I went out and that’s when I saw them bringing out both of the older girls, very lovely children.”

“They were down and out on their luck, but many people are and it’s a tragedy. I don’t think that the mother loves them any less than how I love my children. I don’t know, I just think that they got a bad rap in life and it’s a hard thing. I’ve been devastated by it. All of last night I cried and I thought it was a nightmare I was having and waking up this morning I would see them.”

The children had been left at home in the care of their father who told police that smoke woke him up.

Anastacio Vasquez Sr., Father

“When I woke up, all I can see inside the home is fire and smoke. I woke up some of my children and told them “Come, come, come. Try and come through the window.” I had already jumped through the window, which in before I was trying to take them out too, I couldn’t.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“I heard you sent them through the backdoor.”

Anastacio Vasquez

“I was trying to send them through the backdoor, but as I opened the backdoor, flames…”

Ann-Marie Williams

“But wasn’t it from there that the fire was actually coming in?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“The fire started from the hall.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“And it was coming through the backdoor at the same time you were trying to send them through?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“They were trying to come through, they were trying.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“Did you try to save them before you jumped through the window?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“I tried to. I woke them and said “Let’s go. Let’s go because there’s fire.” I told them “Try to go on top of the bed and come by the window and see if I can take you out.” They didn’t even try to help themselves.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“Do you think it was difficult for them seeing that they were so young?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“I think it was very difficult because of the smoke. All I heard outside the home is screaming for like two or three minutes.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“When you were outside and you heard them screaming, how come you didn’t try to maybe reach in to get them?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“Because it was too difficult. It was very difficult. I couldn’t. I tried, but as I tried to go by the window the flames were right by the window too.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“Some eyewitnesses say that you took a few minutes to go down the street to get their mother. Where was their mother?”

Anastacio Vasquez

“At a neighbour’s home.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“And they were burning at that time.”

Anastacio Vasquez

“Yes, Yes.”

The Vasquez family was no stranger to the neighbourhood and the community reached out from time to time to assist them. The community was today in a state of shock.

Howell Longsworth

“They’ve had some challenges. I know the entire neighbourhood has assisted considerably in providing for them. They would come and ask us for food and other things and we would help. I guess it’s a very large family.”

Lovette Nunez

“I came in contact with them daily. They played with my children and every time they saw me they called my Miss Lovette, by my name, very respectful.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“Where they all going to school?”

Lovette Nunez

“They all were. Every morning you would see them catch the bus and they had on their St. Ignatius uniform, and they came back every evening.”

And the two surviving parents will have to live everyday wondering what they could have done differently.

Anastacio Vasquez

“Well I don’t know what I will do. There’s a lot of things on my mind and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know. I cannot tell.”

Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.

In the wake of the disaster there has been much speculation on the social situation within the Vasquez household and how, if at all, it relates to the fire. Today the Human Development Department confirmed to News 5 that they have assisted the family with food and money over a number of years and that on numerous occasions some of the children have been taken from the home and relocated to the Child Care Centre. Police detained Anastacio Vasquez overnight and released him this morning without filing charges. It is understood that the file will be sent to the DPP for review and possible action.