Less than three months before she was due to start primary school, a six-year-old girl died in an early-morning fire in east Port-of-Spain yesterday. Investigators said Ronase Osbourne was found dead on her bed after fire officers extinguished a fire at her family’s Duncan Street apartment. According to reports, around 6.30 am, Osbourne’s aunt, Natalie Telesford, left her sleeping and went to a nearby shop to buy food for breakfast.
Police said when Telesford was returning home she realised that her third-floor apartment was engulfed in flames and her neighbours were evacuating the building. Telesford tried to get into the apartment but had to run for safety when the fire spread out of control. Fire tenders from the Wrightson Road Fire Station responded soon after, and put out the blaze before it spread to neighbouring buildings.
Fire officers later discovered Osbourne’s body in the burnt-out apartment. She was burnt beyond recognition, investigators said. Her body was removed and taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James, where a post-mortem is expected to be done on Monday. Telesford was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, where she was being treated for smoke inhalation up to late yesterday.
No one else was injured in the fire. A news team from the T&T Guardian visited yesterday and spoke to Elizabeth Greasley, who lives in a ground-floor apartment. Greasley said she would look after Osbourne on afternoons when her aunt went to work. “She was a loving girl. She loved to sing, especially at church...She always like to go to church,” an emotional Greasley said. She said Osbourne was due to start school in September.
“Is only last week we get the books and uniform for her and now look, she gone today,” Greasley said. “Is a sad day for Duncan Street. Everybody here traumatised.” Staff from the Ministry of the People and Social Development visited and distributed emergency supplies to the 27 residents of the building. Housing Development Corporation (HDC) staff also visited and helped displaced residents find temporary accommodation.
Police and Fire Service sources said the fire was likely to have been caused by a faulty electrical connection. Investigations are continuing.