OFFICIALS REACT TO THE DEATH OF 3 CHILDREN BY FIRE
WALKERSWOOD, St Ann; Jan. 12, 2025
As official statements roll in over the deaths of three children by fire in St Ann, the community of Walkerswood remains shocked.
The three siblings are two-year-old Tavaughno, three-year-old Tashanie, and seven-year-old Tashana Mattis.
A five-year-old brother of the three and his mother were pulled from the burning building by a motorist who was passing. By the time the motorist attempted to get back to the house to save the children, the old structure collapsed.
(MP Candidate Dr Kenneth Russell tries to console the father of the three who perished Odane Mattis, centre)
There are many stories about what happened but North Coast Times can confirm that the children’s mother had left them with their grandmother. Their father was not living at that house. There is no electricity at the house. It is not clear how the fire started but the small two-bedroom house was seen ablaze about 2 a.m. Sunday, January 12, 2025.
Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie expressed “profound grief at the tragic deaths of [the] three children”
Mr McKenzie said: “My heart goes out to the remaining family and friends, and I am especially thinking about the children’s grandmother and the lone grandchild, just 5 years old, who survived the fire.”
Scene of the fire as people try to make sense of it. Watch
MP for the neighbouring constituency of NE St Ann and Minister of Water Matthew Samuda who went to the scene of the tragedy expressed regret and shock. He said he had already reached out to Prime Minister Andrew Holness to get assistance for the family.
PNP caretaker candidate for South East St Ann Dr Kenneth Russel who visited the scene early Sunday morning said he was devastated. He said the community was “shaken” and was “quite shocked” by the tragedy. Dr Russel said there was a sense of powerlessness and distress as people felt frustrated that they couldn’t do anything about it.
PNP Councillor for the Moneague Division Lloyd Garrick said there was a kind of disbelief about what took place. The worst part for him was to see the bodies being taken away. Councillor Garrick said he was already in touch with several agencies to seek support for the remaining members of the family.
In his statement, Mr McKenzie said the deaths bring to four the number of children killed in house fires this year. Four children were killed by fire in all of 2024.
Watch when the fire was at its fiercest
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