A family of four is now homeless after their house at Bynoe Trace Extension, Enterprise, Chaguanas, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday. Narad Barran, 32, his pregnant wife Ria, 28, and their children Jade, six, and Jarred, five, narrowly escaped death when they fled from the house just before it collapsed after being consumed by a blaze that broke out at 2 am, police said.
Yesterday, when the T&T Guardian visited the family, a distraught Barran claimed the house was set on fire by a man known to the family. He said the man claimed he was seeing people in the house and set the fire to get rid of the persons he was seeing. Barran said the man was taken into custody by the police after the fire.
Ria said when the blaze started the electricity was disrupted and she started to scream and desperately searched for her children. She said they managed to take the children out of the house mere moments before the roof collapsed. Barran, a labourer, said he had nowhere to stay and is now dependant on the charitable acts of neighbours.
Barran said his wife was expecting their third child any time this week and all the items they had purchased for the baby, along with all their possessions and documents, were destroyed in the fire. Barran said he had been living on the land for the past five years, but admitted the property was on State land which he had applied for but had yet to get a reply. Barran made an appeal to the state and concerned individuals for assistance and a place to shelter.