SPRINGFIELD, St James – Fire swept through a four-bedroom board house in this small rural farming community on Monday night, killing a father and three of his children who were spending time with him.

The children:

. Nick Bernard, 10;

. Ricardo Bernard, 8; and

. Shannae Bernard, four, were burnt to death in the inferno, while their father Neville Bernard, 47, died at the Cornwall

Regional Hospital in Montego Bay yesterday while undergoing treatment from burns he sustained during the blaze.

The charred remains of the three children, who were burnt to a crisp, were found crouched in a corner of one of the bedrooms near a door, suggesting they were trying to escape the blaze.

The police reported that at about 10:00 Monday night, Bernard, who was sleeping in one of the bedrooms was awakened by heat and smoke. Shortly afterwards, according to the police, he discovered that his bedroom and other sections of the house were on fire. He then made several attempts to rescue the children but his efforts were thwarted as a section of the floor collapsed, throwing him through the flooring.

Bernard was later rescued by residents and taken to hospital.

Yesterday, the community of Springfield and the nearby district of Barnett Bush, where the children lived, were plunged into a state of shock and mourning after news of the tragedy began to spread.

The children’s mother, Lydia Clarke, wailed uncontrollably when she saw the charred remains of what was once Bernard’s dwelling; and remnants of the charred bodies of her children.

Burnt-out zinc, charcoal from the pieces of board that once held the wooden structure together, the charred mattress springs, pieces of blackened clothing and other burnt items, told the grim tale.

“At about 11:00 last night (Monday), one of my friends called me and told me that the house where my children were staying was burnt down. I then jumped on a taxi and went down to Springfield only to find out that all my children had died in the fire,” Clarke told the Observer yesterday.

She said she had left the children in the care of their father since July and they were all expected to return home yesterday.

Despite being comforted by a number of relatives and friends in the community yesterday, the 27-year-old Clarke broke down in tears as she remembered her children.

“Nick loves to dance and was very bright at school and he knew a lot of big words,” Clarke said, as tears flowed down her cheeks.

After a short pause to wipe tears rolling down her puffy cheeks, the grief-stricken mother continued. “The others were playful. they were all good children and doing well in school.”

Nick and Ricardo attended the Springfield All-Age School in St James, while Shannae was a student at the Barry Road Basic School, also in St James.

Clarke had last seen her children alive last Saturday when she had a brief conversation with them at their father’s house.

For Clarke’s mother, Chelsea Buchanan, the tragic death of her three grandchildren was too much to bear.

“Mi can’t go live without them, lawd have mercy, a wha mi a go duh,” she wailed.

Buchanan had over the years assisted in the nurturing of the three.

“Today is even one a dem birthday,” she said with teary eyes.

In the meantime, residents of Springfield yesterday remembered Bernard as a peaceful and calm rastafarian who had served the community well.

“He was a community person who got along very well with everybody and showed love and kindness, particularly to the children,” one resident told the Observer.

Another said that Bernard was a father figure who would be sadly missed.

“I am devastated by his loss,” another said of the farmer of more than 20 years.

Another resident who gave his name only as “Courtney” said that after he saw the fire he rushed to the scene but was unable to save any lives.

“I saw the fire ’bout 10:15. From me come down here the whole place on fire and after we begin to search wi se Neville’s (Bernard) body lying on the ground outside. It was badly burnt; all his locks burn off and him skin peel off,” the resident said.

Mayor of Montego Bay Noel Donaldson, who toured the communities yesterday, expressed shock at the bizarre incident.