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Monica Bodden reporting
The fire started from the upper flat of this two storey green building - and within minutes, the entire structure was up in flames.

Fire fighters were called out to the scene on Berkley and Plues Street just after 10 this morning - and went into quick operation mode in attempt to control the blaze in the congested location.

It wasn't long before the fire spread to this 14 by 14 one bedroom structure on the same premises.

Concerned neighbours lined the area from front to back- while some even risked their lives to run inside the heated buildings to remove gas tanks and even animals.

The atmosphere was very emotional - as the thick smoke that covered the entire area gave residents little to no hope.

This house on Plues Street was spared by the blaze but received fire and water damage at the back of the building.

When it was over, 4 families were affected.

The fire started at Jenise Ramirez's home. Her two children ages 4 and 6 were alone - when one of them took a lighter and lit a paper on fire. The child tried to stamp it out on a mattress and that when things got out of control.

Jenise Ramirez - Fire Victim
"I went to work this morning and I ask my babysitter every day to keep at home with my kids to watch them every day until I am finish working from 7:30am to 5:00 in the evening. I go to work every day and come home every evening to take care of my children. I am a single mother, I work hard and I take care of my kids, I love my kids and that's why I got an adult to watch them every day. I had just bought back everything in my house and now I have lost everything."

But the question is why weren't these young children being supervised by an adult? Ramirez says she did leave them in the care of a babysitter.

Monica Bodden
"I understand that there were home alone. Was the babysitter at home?"

Jenise Ramirez - Fire Victim
"My son told me that the babysitter went home to bath and left them in the house. I told her that if my brother and I and my roommate are not at home, she has access to the whole house to bath, change clothes and do whatever she got to do until 5 in the evening. But they told me that she's been going in and out and left the kids home alone."

Monica Bodden
"The kids told you what happen?"

Jenise Ramirez - Fire Victim
"Yes, my son told me what happened. My 4 year old told me that Jeremy light a paper and the mattress catch fire. He had let it go and it catch the mattress fire in the bedroom. He says that he ran and told the lady downstairs that there is a fire. I don't know who took them out, but somebody call me at my work and told me that fire is at my house."

75 year old Merlene Andrews lives at the lower flat of the two storey building. She was alerted that there was a fire happening from the 4 year old child.

Merlene Andrews
"She and I was in the chair sitting down. The babysitter said that she was going to take a bath and be back. She says that she left them writing. I don't think she got to the lane when the little one came and told us that Jermaine light fire. Honestly I jumped out of my chair, try to go up the stairs and she told me smoke. I call out to my neighbor and say fire. I was so confused that I pick up a little thing to throw out the water. She told me to come out, but I couldn't come out. It was the police man that told me come out. He ask if anyone was in there and I told him that the two children had already come out. At that time the house was already on fire. I couldn't save anything, only my center table and here I am."

Andrews told us this isn't the first time that the children are caught playing with fire.

Merlene Andrews
"This morning earlier the children was in the yard and this lady told them not to light fire up there, she says that she will beat them. I went and tell them to pick up the leaves, not knowing that would have done this. But they are unruly."

Reporter
"You said that if it wasn't for someone to take you out, you would have burn in the fire."

Merlene Andrews
"If she wasn't there."

Jenise Ramirez is a single mother and is asking for the public's assistance. If you would like to give a donation, she can be reached at telephone number 6-0-1-9-3-3-9.