Tragic news rocks family in Guyana

The sad faces of Pearl Cornelius’ aunts, Robena Loo (left) and Samantha Gobin, after they arrived from Guyana yesterday. (Picture by Tim Slinger)

Wed, September 08, 2010 - 1:32 AM

IT WAS the worst news anyone could have heard – especially if they were several miles away.

“After I heard the news, I went down on my knees and prayed,” Samantha Gobin said Monday after arriving from Guyana.

Gobin, 27, and Robena Loo, 43, are aunts of Guyanese-born Pearl Cornelius, who was among six women who perished in last Friday night’s fire at the Campus Trendz store, Tudor Street, The City.

The two, who are here to take back their niece’s body, spoke of the anguish and pain when they learnt that Cornelius had been trapped in the building.

Breaking down in tears, Gobin said she was preparing to go to a wake [after-funeral gathering] in Georgetown when she received the news.

The telephone kept ringing as they got details about the developments with the fire.

They were, however, not receiving the information they were longing to hear about their treasured niece.

“The firemen can’t out the fire yet; there was too much smoke; nobody can’t go in the building yet; nobody ain’t going to the back of the building where the girls are,” were among the sketchy reports relayed to them.

Cornelius’ family had their hopes raised when they received a telephone call that one person had been taken from the burning building alive.

“When I heard that, I figured, well, the firemen now reached the girls and soon ‘Amanda’ would be coming out,” Gobin recalled.

But their dreams of good news vanished about 30 minutes later when another telephone call informed them that their niece was among the dead.

The shocking news prompted a series of screams that echoed across the neighbourhood.

“My sister started to scream and my mother couldn’t take it any more . . . it was just too much,” she added.

The last time Gobin saw her niece was last July when she came to Barbados.

The family is now awaiting the coroner’s report and release of Cornelius’ body to arrange for a burial in Guyana.

Plans are also being made for a memorial service at St Patrick’s Cathedral. (TS)

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Posted by Joseph Boyce 1 year, 5 months ago: Deepest condolences to the families of the young man, and the family of those who lost their lives…I have a suggestion for the fire department…please look into the idea of raming a hole in the side of buildings where there is only one entrance so that you will have access to trapped victims. Lives are too precious…buildings can be repaired…just a thought.

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Posted by Keep It Real 1 year, 5 months ago: May the soul of the dearly departed Pearl, Rest in Peace…Amen

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Posted by J. Payne 1 year, 5 months ago: Re: ramming a whole through the wall. That could have an application or it could make things worse. If a building is highly engulfed, doing such a thing may allow flames to shoot out that hole just like the windows and doors. Further, doing such a thing may further weaken the structure and hasten the possibility of a near total collapse of the structure. Sometimes those stone walls are all that’s holding up a structure in a blaze. Lastly they need to be real sure which wall leads to which establishment especially if ever they are trying to come through from the next block over.

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Posted by ANN 1 year, 5 months ago: RAMMING A HOLE? The fire department needs to come prepared with all equipment and gear to face any scene they may encounter. For years they have been coming to fire scenes without water in trucks, oxygen equipment etc. They also need to have that adrenaline rush that makes you do things you would not normally do and it seems not one of them have ever had that experience.