Family of 7, including newborn, homeless after Fyzabad fire

On Wednesday, a day after delivering her son at the San Fernando General Hospital, 23-year-old Nakeisha Nicholas learned that a fire destroyed the family’s home on Delhi Road in Fyzabad.

Nicholas, her fiancé, 28, and five children, including the newborn, are now homeless.

Nicholas recalled that she was in the hospital when she heard the news of the fire. The two-bedroom wooden structure and contents were burnt to ashes around 6.30 pm. Her fiancé, the sole breadwinner of the house, works as a labourer and does not have a stable job.

“The children were with my mother in Mon Repos because I needed the help as I was in the hospital. No one was home. We lost everything: all the baby items, the children’s school supplies, and groceries. Nothing is remaining from the house,” Nicholas said.

“We need whatever help we can get. When we learned about my pregnancy, we had bought many items like clothes, pampers (disposable diapers), and bottles, and now we have nothing.”

The housewife said the baby was born premature, at 36 weeks, and doctors kept him for observations. The mother and son were discharged on Thursday.

“We are taking a lodging by my mother until we get a stable place. We are trying to figure it out. We are sleeping on a mattress in her two-bedroom apartment,” Nicholas said.

Her oldest child is an eight-year-old boy who attends a primary school in Fyzabad. Her second child is set to start primary school at the opening of the academic school year on September 5. Her other children are boys, ages four and three.

Considering the latest addition to the family and the fire, the family does not have the financial means to buy school and baby supplies as well as food.

Nicholas called on anyone who wants to help to contact her at 276-1176.

The cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

Fyzabad police are investigating.