THA helps family of 6 affected by fire

ASSEMBLYMAN Joel "Nuttsy" Sampson said help is being given to a family of six whose apartment was damaged by fire.

On March 2, a six-year-old boy was injured and 15 people were left homeless after fire ravaged their apartment building at Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord.

The boy is still receiving treatment for second-degree burns at the Eric Williams Sciences Complex in Trinidad. The boy lived with his mother and young siblings at the apartment, He was the only casualty in the incident,

Sampson, the Canaan/Bon Accord representative, told Newsday on March 12 that food and clothing are being provided to the family by the Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection. He said school uniforms and supplies are being provided by the Division of Education.

He said the Division of Social Protection is working on providing accomodation but he said the children's grandmother indicated that they can stay with her in the interim.

He said he was aware of the situation from the very night of the fire and had passed on the information to the Division of Social Services.

He said he helped to provide temporary accommodation for those displaced and "was in the hospital up until 3am with the mother that night."

He said he told one of his personal assistants to contact the boy's mother to see if any further assistance could be given. He said the woman asked for his personal number and was given it.

Meanwhile, Edward Espinoza, a friend of the boy's mother, had appealed for help for the family in a previous interview with Newsday. He gave an update to Newsday on March 12.

“It is coming slow. It’s not coming financially but people called and donated clothes and tin foods. I spoke with a gentleman who said he has a stove that he wants to give to them; another lady told me that she has a bed that I can come pick up as well. Honestly, we have not made any great improvements.”

He added: “What I really looking for is materials in that type of way – I do construction, that’s my field, so I am looking for materials to knock back up something for them where they can be comfortable.”

Asked about the boy's condition, Espinoza said: “He’s still at Mt Hope, he’s coming along. Up to Monday they came in and changed his dressings. They did a CT scan on him night before and they did an MRI – he seems to be coming along well.”

He added: "Right now, he is conscious so I can talk to him normal. He is responding to me normal, but he seems to be in some pain.”

He said the woman's other children have returned to school.