By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Reggie and Nicole Thompson, victims.
FOUR CHILDREN have been burnt to death in separate fires which razed their homes in Kingston, Portland and St. Ann, between Tuesday afternoon and early yesterday morning.
The victims have been identified as 18-month-old Nesetiri Dobson of Bakers Street, Portland; 21-month-old Brandon Bailey of Lime Hall, St. Ann, Reggie Thompson, 8, and his younger sister Nicole, 5, both of Patrick Gardens, St. Andrew.
According to the police, the number of persons killed in fires across the island since January, has increased to 14. This includes eight children.
The more gruesome and tragic of the three fires which occurred since Tuesday, was in Patrick Gardens, where the charred remains of Reggie and his younger sister were removed from beneath debris by firefighters.
The infants were asleep with their mother, Kerris Hanson, and her three other children, at the family home on Maynard Avenue, when at about 12:15 yesterday morning fire was observed coming from the small back room, where Miss Hanson and the children were sleeping.
Reports are that one of the children accidentally knocked over a kerosene lamp and fire quickly engulfed the small room.
"She (Kerris Hanson) said she feel de fire on her hand and she woke up and see de place burning," said Pearl Hanson, the infant's grandmother, who was also in another section of the house when the fire started.
"When de fire start none a dem nuh try fe save de youth dem. A we have to run from our yard and come rescue the old lady (Pearl Hanson) or else she would have died," one man who was among a group of neighbours told The Gleaner news team.
Miss Pearl Hanson confirmed that it was a group of men who saved her life. Miss Hanson, who owns the premises, said the house was not insured.
When the mother of the children rushed out of the blazing room, she seemed in a state of shock and was unable to give an account of the children's whereabouts, until the firemen stumbled upon the burnt remains.
In the other incidents, the mother of 18-month-old Nesetiri Dobson, reportedly left him at home with his three-year-old sister and 70-year-old grandmother who is blind. Reports are that the mother went to make a purchase from a nearby shop in the Buff Bay area of Portland.
While the infant's grandmother and sister were sitting outside, fire was seen coming from the house. The blaze quickly spread to other sections of the building, trapping the infant in the fire. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
In St. Ann, police reports stated that little Brandon Bailey was at home with his step-father Tuesday night. It is alleged that the step-father went to a section of the premises to make a call on a cellular phone.
During the process he heard a loud explosion from inside the house. When he went to investigate the one bedroom apartment was seen on fire. Efforts to save the child proved futile.
