Last night we told you about the twenty-seven persons - including 21 children - who were left homeless after fire burned down their living quarters.
The four families were residents of a public housing apartment complex - commonly known as long barracks- which was located behind the St Martins area.
Yesterday 7news went into the area and spoke to the victims who had nowhere to rest their heads or clothes to put on their backs. Today help was on its way, first with the Salvation Army and the First Caribbean Bank who teamed up to hand out bags of food items.
Major Joliker Leandre - Regional Commander
"We listen to the news yesterday and saw what was happening and we have decided to come and bring some first response assistance and then assess the situation and see how best we can assist our brothers and sisters who could have been us in the same situation but it happen to them, so we come to find out how best we can assist them."
"We have flour, oil and several other items that would at least keep the family going for one week. We partnered with First Caribbean Bank - so whenever there is an emergency and we respond we always take them around to be part of us because we have partnered with them."
"I have spoken to them, I have invited them to come and visit the office so that we can assess the whole situation see how best we can further assist them. Its Christmas time and the focus now is on Christmas, but we cannot really allow this to past by and not responding even though we have Christmas coming up and we have obligations - we still need to assist whenever there is such a need."
Gina Castillo, First Caribbean Bank
"There is a need, we see what the people are going though and like the work of the Salvation Army we also get involved in our community and where there is a need we try help as much as possible. Salvation Army approached us to come out to assist the victims of the fire. The amounts of children that are out here it just tear at your heart, so you need to come out and assist."
And area representative Mark King - who got publicly dissed by the residents yesterday went into the area late this evening and visited the 4 families. He didn't show up empty-handed- he came with bags and boxes of much needed items.
Hon. Mark King, Area Representative
"Of course we heard the calls of these people, it's really unfortunate that they had the fire> I heard about it when I was in Cabinet yesterday, I was informed by a reporter and I immediately scrambled to try and get assistance for them by applying to NEMO and the various emergency departments when it comes to fire."
"Today we are giving them some supplies - it will be continuous between now and next week whereby we will bring food supplies, monetary donations and all other donations. This is just the early stage of it, we will bring some mattress for them to sleep on and stuff like that and starting next week we are preparing to bring more donations but this time we want to get those stuff in their homes; the refridge, gas tanks and stuff like that."
"Even better than that what we will be doing by next week - we will be buying some building materials and blocks for them so they can start building back. Before that there has to be a cleanup process whereby these people will be putting their stuff that was burnt, we will bring the city council trucks to clean up and by the time they get their blocks - we will start to build back together."
"I am trying to get them comfortable for Christmas, it's unfortunate it happened at this time but it's an emergency situation and we need all the help that we can get to give these people the support."
"First of all the barracks that was given to them was a government barracks and we are going to ensure that we have at least something that makes the area looks good. What we are trying to do is upgrade the area and our people will be on the ground to supervise movements and see how the building fits in."
"We can't do something big and grand at first because we have an entire complex that burnt - that is 4 families. We are going to start with maybe one or two - see how we work that out and from there we try to expand but at this time you know we had Ms. Arana fire, we did fund raising for her and now we have this fire - we are taking a lick in this division and we barely have resources but that doesn't mean we are going to build whereby the society looks ghetto and all that. We are going to try and build back a structure that is conducive to society and looks very good."
The Salvation Army and the First Caribbean Bank also plans on putting together a much bigger donation.
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