An elderly man had to be rescued from his uninsured home yesterday morning before everything went up in smoke.
Hamilton Marshall, 81, who suffers with mental health issues, has lived in Bush Hall Yard Gap, St Michael, all his life. His great niece, Shakera Marshall, who lives nearby, said everything was lost in the family house.
She said they had been trying to get him into a facility since last year. “Maybe now this has happened, I guess maybe he can finally get some kind of help,” she added.
Lamar Sandiford, one of the youth who helped rescue Hamilton from the burning building, said it was a struggle.
“He was real stubborn so I had to use a little force. The smoke was so thick we couldn’t go in to save anything. You can get back a house but you can’t get back life. Everybody came out and lent a helping hand, using hoses and buckets, so that warmed my heart,” he said.
Another youth, Rommel Quimby, said this was not the first time there was a fire at that house, and he, too, was happy the community came together.
“I had to run with buckets to try and save the house, but it get way. Sorry it happened but we will try to keep together positive all the time here in Bush Hall Yard Gap,” he said.
Divisional officer of the Barbados Fire Service Mervin Mayers said they received the call around 10:30 a.m. and responded with two tenders, one from Arch Hall, St Thomas, and the other from Bridgetown. (CA)