New homes for ‘Samakan’ fire victims
ON October 18 last year, Israel Scarlett thought his world had come to an end.
A raging mid-day fire destroyed Scarlett’s house along with 13 other houses inside a tenement at ‘Samakan’, an impoverished community in St Andrew.
The fire consumed almost everything the residents owned, and long after the fire cooled, many worried about how they would face life – homeless, penniless and with only a suit of clothes on their backs.
Today, Scarlett and his neighbours can breathe a sigh of relief.
Thanks to the efforts of Tank Weld LTD and the charity organisation, Food for the Poor, 13 families have been settling into their newly constructed, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
The houses were built at a cost of $2.1 million on the same plot of land where the tenement yard once stood at 21-23 Sterling Avenue.
Scarlett could hardly hold back his emotions as he expressed gratitude for the assistance on behalf on himself and his neighbours.
“We have to give thanks for this. When the fire burn down wi place, we neva know what wi was going do; but respect due man,” Scarlett told the Observer from the verandah of his new two-bedroom home.
The units are made of wood, and are constructed on a concrete foundation. The material and labour were provided by Tank Weld and Food for the Poor.
According to Bruce Bicknell, managing director of Tank Weld LTD, there are plans to tear down an existing zinc fence and replace it with a concrete wall in an effort to beautify the area and encourage the new home-owners to keep their environment clean.
“We are going to install some garbage bins to set an example that the place must be kept clean,” Bicknell said, while urging the beneficiaries to “teach” their children “discipline and the importance of cleanliness”.
Before the fire, the residents of the tenement had to share toilet facilities, but Bicknell said this would soon change as plans were afoot to construct adequate bathrooms for the residents.
More than 12 children lost their school uniforms, text books and other school supplies in the blaze, but Bicknell indicated that efforts were being made to replace the supplies.
The residents also received donations of clothing, beds and food from Food for the Poor.
In the meantime, the residents promised to visit the offices of the Jamaica Public Service Company and apply for electricity supply.
