Community rebuilds home for Moruga fire victims

Residents of Moruga have joined hands in helping to rebuild a home for a family who lost everything after their house burnt to the ground.

Trudy Farrell, 36, thanked her MP, Dr Lovell Francis, councillor, Michelle Benjamin, and residents who have been helping to build a wooden structure for the family.

A fire on Thursday left her and her six children, including her five-month-old baby homeless.

Despite losing the house and all household articles, Farrell has expressed gratitude to one of her sons who, owing to his quick thinking, saved three siblings from potential fiery deaths.

Farrell, a Cepep worker who lives at Main Road in St Mary’s Village, said the fire broke out shortly before 2 pm. In the house were her children Akiel Ayers, 14, Daniel Ayers, five, and three-year-old twins Danel and Dariell Ayers.

She had just walked across the road to pick up her five-month-old son from a daycare centre. On her way back, she saw the fire in the centre room and at the front of the house. She shouted for them to get out.

"The children were eating in the kitchen eating. I started to bawl out, telling them the house was on fire. Akiel grabbed the three siblings and ran out with them."

"When they reached by me by the road, the twins stood up and were watching the fire. I was holding the baby. Akiel ran back inside because he was trying to save the baby’s pampers."

While in the burning house, the diapers caught on fire in his hands and he had to drop everything, the mother said.

"He got minor burns on his arms, ears and head. He went to the hospital and was treated. He is okay now."

Farrell’s three girls and three boys are between 17-years and five months.

"I lost everything. My children have to go to school. My eldest child is a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) student. We need help, money-wise, book-wise, clothes-wise," Farrel told Newsday on Friday.

Officers of the Princes Town Fire Station and the St Mary’s police post visited the scene. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

The MP via his Facebook page posted several photos of the unfinished house.

In one post, he said: "A family lost a house at St Mary's Moruga today. This is the response of the community. We could all learn something from this. Cheers."

Benjamin in a Facebook post shortly after news broke of the fire stated: "Earlier today a home was totally destroyed by fire in St. Mary's Village. This was heartbreaking to witness a family losing everything. But most importantly, all the occupants of the house are okay praise God."