A fire in Kingston has destroyed several homes, leaving dozens homeless. While Jamaica is still reeling from monster Hurricane Melissa, a devastating fire has destroyed over 10 houses at 8 Heroes Circle along Stephenson Street on Sunday.
The massive fire, which was captured in videos by onlookers, turned the tight-knit community of families into a field of ashes, twisted zinc, and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air. The blaze spread so quickly that some residents had no time to save their belongings, including a victim who identified herself as Kim to the media.
Kim had a half-burnt Bible as she stood among the rubble. The bible was recovered after firefighters put out the fire. She expressed that after not suffering any major loss in the Category 5 hurricane, she has now lost everything. “Hurricane Melissa nuh destroy we, but this fire destroyed us,” said Kim.
However, the resident remains hopeful that things will be okay again. “Once there is life, there is hope,” she told reporters.
Moon-10 understands that the fire started sometime in the evening, around the time when many would have been preparing dinner. Kim recalled that she had been cooking when she smelled smoke coming from another section of the property. The yard, home to more than 40 people, was quickly consumed by flames before anyone could react.
When firefighters arrived, the fire had already consumed most of the wooden structures. Multiple videos online show the massive fire on the property while onlookers reacted in shock. Firefighters made an effort to contain the blaze, but the damage had already been done, which was evident in a separate video showing firefighters among the burnt remains. The fire left approximately 15 families, including several children, without homes, clothes, or essential belongings. The authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.
