Mayo house fire linked to boy’s electrocution

A fire that police believe to be arson in retaliation for a 14-year-old Mayo boy's death by electrocution at the Petrotrin compound has left a couple homeless.

House owner Shane Gobin, 26, and his girlfriend were not at home when the fire broke out at about 9 pm on Wednesday. Several other residents of Cotton Hill Road claimed they did not know what caused the fire.

A relative, like investigators, linked it to Michael Sooknanan’s death.

Gobin admitted to police that he, Sooknanan and another man went to the Petrotrin compound at Guaracara to steal copper. The boy scaled the pole, and in so doing, touched the live high-tension power line and was electrocuted. Security guards who found the body also found his severed left hand in bushes nearby.

The men fled when the boy was electrocuted.

On Thursday a relative who did not want to be named said: "Shane is fearful for his life. Since Tuesday night, people had threatened to burn down the house when the boy went missing. The house cost more than $60,000."

The relative declined to say more.

Southern Division police were unable to confirm if Gobin had reported the alleged threats.

On the fire, Stacy-Ann Taitt-Brown, who lives next door, said she heard an explosion while in bed and went out. She saw the wooden one-bedroom house in flames and alerted relatives.

With the help of a passing male driver and the female occupants of his car, relatives used buckets of water to put out the flames. They poured water on a nearby shed to prevent the fire from spreading to her family’s home.

But, she said, "Everything happened fast. In two twos, the house was destroyed."

The house was already destroyed by the time fire and police officers arrived. Insp Morales, Sgt Ishmael and other Gasparillo police interviewed several people.

The boy's relatives distanced themselves from the fire, saying they were at home a few houses away when they heard fire and police officers and learnt about the fire.

"We have a death here and were minding our business.

"We do not have an idea what happened over there. That probably was a natural fire. Michael was the sweetest child in the world," said a weeping relative. "That person came on Tuesday about 7.30 pm and did not say Michael was dead. That child left home to go and learn to weld with Shane. This whole thing is frustrating. "

Sooknanan left home at about 5 pm on Tuesday. He told his parents, who were not at home, he was going to work with Gobin, as he often did.

An autopsy has not been done as yet.

Marabella police are investigating the death.