Pregnant fire victim expected to deliver on Wednesday

PREGNANT mother Nisa Harry, whose home was destroyed by fire last week, is expected to deliver her son via Caesarean section in hospital on Wednesday.

With no place to go, Harry is making a passionate plea to the authorities to help her find a home before she is discharged.

Harry, 27, a merchandiser, said although a relative offered to temporarily house the family, they have to start from scratch to rebuild a house. Harry thanked the relative as well as the people who called and promised to help the family with groceries and baby clothes.

Harry, her 32-year-old common-husband Kiel Williams, 32, and their autistic daughter Nakiya Williams, nine, were one of six families left homeless on Thursday when a fire broke out at Concerned Citizens Street, California, Couva. Williams is a mechanic. The couple intends to name their son, Messiah.

She said, “Coming from the hospital with a newborn baby and nowhere to stay, it is hard. People will allow you to stay by them for a period of time. When you have your own, you will be more comfortable.

"The procedure to start all over again to rebuild is very hard. We really need assistance for our own place to stay.”

Harry was scheduled to have the C-section on Saturday at the San Fernando General Hospital. Having lost the two-bedroom wooden house and all its household articles, Harry became stressed and staff postponed the surgery to Wednesday. Harry was on her way to the hospital when she got news of the fire. Up to today, she remains warded.

“The night before, we bought the double-decker bed. All that remained from it is a burnt frame. We bought a playpen and a crib. Two weeks before, we had a baby shower in the area."

But now, she said, "All the items I have for my son was in the bag I packed to go to the hospital.”

The fire, which started in an abandoned house in the squatting settlement, burnt down six houses and left homeless a total of 19 people, including eight children.

Councillor Ramchand Rajbal-Maharaj and other members of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation visited the affected residents and distributed hampers and mattresses.