A woman died in a fire at her home on West Avenue in Kingston Gardens yesterday and her relatives are tight-lipped due to uncertainty surrounding whether the blaze was the work of gangster arsonists or the result of an electrical problem.

Yesterday’s fire, which occurred around 4:00 am, was the second blaze in Kingston Gardens this week.

The first occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and residents told to the Jamaica Observer that roughly 20 men armed with guns stormed a premises on East Avenue in the vicinity of The Banana Board, firebombing a 12-bedroom house and leaving 11 people — including children and elderly individuals — homeless. No one was hurt in that blaze.

Kingston Gardens residents told the Observer on Tuesday that they believe a major gang war between the Darksyde and Genasyde gangs, which are operating mainly in communities of Kingston Central such as Southside, Tel Aviv and Spoilers, was spreading to Kingston Gardens and other areas in the constituency. The war has reportedly claimed dozens of lives since the general election in September last year.

Yesterday’s fire on West Avenue, which claimed the life of the elderly woman, also occurred in the vicinity of The Banana Board.

While some residents maintain that the origin of yesterday’s blaze is unknown, others are convinced it is of nefarious origin. However, the police and the Jamaica Fire Brigade, who are still investigating, are yet to confirm how the fire started.

Public relations officer at the Jamaica Fire Brigade Emeleo Ebanks told the Observer yesterday that firefighters received a frantic call about a massive blaze at a house on West Avenue around 4:00 am, to which two units from York Park Fire Station responded.

While battling the blaze the firefighters were made aware that an elderly woman had been trapped inside and could not find the keys to exit the building. Window panes to the front of the building that were out of place were evidence there was an attempt by someone to escape a horrific experience.

“We started search-and-rescue operations and we came across the body of a female who was said to be the person who was in the house at the time,” Ebanks said. “As a result of that fire, two adults and a child are now homeless. The investigations may take some time before we can determine the origin of the fire. This was a huge building — a nine-bedroom house — so it will take us some time to go through the rubble and come up with a cause.”

There have been a series of fires throughout different parts of Kingston Central in recent weeks, which residents believe have been intentionally started. However, Ebanks told the Observer that the final reports for many of the recent fires are yet to be completed.

On the morning of June 29, residents of Beeston Street in Spoilers were awakened by loud explosions and a fire which displaced roughly 30 people who were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Earlier this week, residents anonymously reported to the Observer that an attempt was also made to firebomb another house in the Spoilers area of Kingston Central.