Ministry of Education saddened by news of children killed in fire

The Ministry of Education is shocked by the news of a fire in Maraval which claimed the lives of three children on Monday morning.

Ezekiel, 17, Faith, six and Kaden Burke, three, died as they were trapped in their Rookery Nook, Maraval, Port of Spain home.

Fifteen-year-old Jenecia Burke and another 13-year-old child, along with their parents Troy Burke and Genevieve Rodriguez, escaped the blaze.

In a release, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Minister in the Ministry Lisa Morris-Julian sent condolences to the family.

Ezekiel attended the Blanchisseuse Secondary School with his sister Jenecia.

The ministry said it eas organising counselling for the Burke family and Ezekiel's classmates.

“Officers of the Students Support Services Division of the Ministry of Education have been contacted and have already scheduled virtual counselling sessions for Ezekiels’s sister Jenecia, the rest of his family and his classmates.

“Principal of the Blanchisseuse Secondary School, Hashim Johnson has also contacted officers of the Employees Assistance Programme to provide counselling for the teachers of the school.”

Ezekiel Burke was described by his principal as a well-mannered, ambitious and respectful student.”

He represented his school in cricket at both the under-16 and senior divisions in north zone competitions.

The Secondary Schools Cricket League extended condolences to Ezekiel's family in a statement on Monday.

"Ezekiel was an exemplary young man...Our thoughts and prayers go out to his immediate family and the Blanchisseuse Secondary community."