[UPDATED] Hero family rescues woman from burning Sando house

( from left ) Springvale San Fernando residents, Joseph, Dexter, Orlando and sister Stephanie Oudit. They talk about the experience of rescuing a woman from a burning townhouse along Mon Chagrin street, San Fernando on Saturday night. - Lincoln Holder
( from left ) Springvale San Fernando residents, Joseph, Dexter, Orlando and sister Stephanie Oudit. They talk about the experience of rescuing a woman from a burning townhouse along Mon Chagrin street, San Fernando on Saturday night. - Lincoln Holder

Members of the Oudit family of San Fernando came in for high praise from the public for risking their lives to save a woman from a burning building in a suspected arson attack.

Police identified the victim as Nicolette Francis from El Guanapo Estate in Rio Claro. She works as a cleaner at the apartment building next to the San Fernando Methodist School on Mon Chagrin Street.

On Saturday at around 8.30 pm, Dexter Oudit, 59, said he went to the building to borrow $2 from a man to buy a cigarette. He heard a woman screaming for help, saying she was locked inside and could not get out.

Initially, he assumed someone was beating her.

But the woman, whom police later identified as Francis, said she was on fire, and he saw smoke.

Oudit lives with his family behind the house. He tried to break down the door alone, then ran back home to call for back-up.

"It had two metal doors to the front. A piece of glass pierced my foot, trying to get her out of the burning house. Samuel (Oudit’s son) get injured while using the sledgehammer," Oudit told Newsday. "She would have been dead if we did not help."

During the rescue efforts, his other children, Joseph, Orlando and Stephanie, encouraged the frantic woman to keep talking as they tried to smash their way into the building.

The Oudit family almost lost hope when she stopped talking, thinking she had died.

Oudit expressed disappointment that other neighbours did nothing to help.

"I gave them a piece of my mind. I was vexed. I talked my mind," he said.

He pointed fingers at two families, saying they remained indoors until police and fire officers came, by which time, his family had already rescued the woman.

Later, residents told Newsday they neither knew Francis nor where she was from.

"We are just happy to save a life. We do not know her name or where she is from. She had burns to her face, hands and back."

His son Joseph, 25, shared similar views.

"She tried to jump through a back window, but it was too high. She would have died. I was feeling really sorry for the woman. She was saying she did not want to die," Joseph said.

"I ran inside barefoot. She was just standing. If there was a gas tank inside, it would have blown up with us inside.

"It feels so good to save a life. We were overwhelmed. It is the ghetto neighbours who saved that woman."

Before she lost consciousness on the road, the woman reportedly raised hands as if in praise and said, "Freedom, freedom."

She was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.

Stephanie, 27, said it was heartbreaking to hear the screams.

"We went to bed at about 3 am. It was difficult to sleep, just remembering the screams. The more she bawled, we bawled. She was saying, ‘Bring me out, I don’t want to die.’ We were telling her that we will save her," Stephanie said.

Contacted by Newsday on Monday, Police said Francis was in stable condition in the burns unit of the San Fernando General Hospital but could not give further information as the investigation was still ongoing.

Newsday was unable to speak to Francis at the hospital owing to restrictions on visitation because of covid19. Efforts to contact Francis' family in Rio Claro were also unsuccessful.

Many people took to social media to congratulate the "superheroes" for their efforts.

A Facebook user said, "Great job guys! God bless. May your helpers also locate you in your time of need."

Another said, "Respect to those who helped the lady. Full respect."

Up to Monday, no one had been arrested. San Fernando CID are investigating.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Members of the Oudit family of San Fernando came in for high praise from the public for risking their lives to save a woman from a burning building in a suspected arson attack.

Police identified the victim as Nicolette Francis, who lives in Rio Claro. She works as a cleaner at the apartment building next to the San Fernando Methodist School on Mon Chagrin Street.

On Saturday at around 8.30 pm, Dexter Oudit, 59, said he went to the building to borrow $2 from a man to buy a cigarette. He heard a woman screaming for help, saying she was locked inside and could not get out.

Initially, he assumed someone was beating her.

But the woman, whom police later identified as Francis, said she was on fire, and he saw smoke.

Oudit lives with his family behind the house. He tried to break down the door alone, then ran back home to call for back-up.

"It had two metal doors to the front. A piece of glass pierced my foot, trying to get her out of the burning house. Samuel (Oudit’s son) get injured while using the sledgehammer," Oudit told Newsday. "She would have been dead if we did not help."

During the rescue efforts, his other children, Joseph, Orlando and Stephanie, encouraged the frantic woman to keep talking as they tried to smash their way into the building.

The Oudit family almost lost hope when she stopped talking, thinking she had died.

Oudit expressed disappointment that other neighbours did nothing to help.

"I gave them a piece of my mind. I was vexed. I talked my mind," he said.

He pointed fingers at two families, saying they remained indoors until police and fire officers came, by which time, his family had already rescued the woman.

"We are just happy to save a life. We do not know her name or where she is from. She had burns to her face, hands and back."

His son Joseph, 25, shared similar views.

"She tried to jump through a back window, but it was too high. She would have died. I was feeling really sorry for the woman. She was saying she did not want to die," Joseph said.

"I ran inside barefoot. She was just standing. If there was a gas tank inside, it would have blown up with us inside.

"It feels so good to save a life. We were overwhelmed. It is the ghetto neighbours who saved that woman."

Before she lost consciousness on the road, the woman reportedly raised hands as if in praise and said, "Freedom, freedom."

She was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.

Stephanie, 27, said it was heartbreaking to hear the screams.

"We went to bed at about 3 am. It was difficult to sleep, just remembering the screams. The more she bawled, we bawled. She was saying, ‘Bring me out, I don’t want to die.’ We were telling her that we will save her," Stephanie said.

Many people took to social media to congratulate the "superheroes" for their efforts.

A Facebook user said, "Great job guys! God bless. May your helpers also locate you in your time of need."

Another said, "Respect to those who helped the lady. Full respect."

Up to Monday, no one had been arrested. San Fernando CID are investigating.

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"[UPDATED] Hero family rescues woman from burning Sando house"

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