A FAMILY of five are now homeless following a blaze which reduced their home in Vieux-Fort to rubble on Wednesday.
The house, a concrete and wooden structure, located at Calvary Hill, was completely destroyed when the fire trucks arrived on the scene.
The house was vacant at the time of the fire, which started sometime before 5.00pm.
The raging fire, which had threatened to flatten the entire neighborhood, where the houses are just a few metres apart, also partially damaged three other houses nearby.
Fire officers from Vieux-Fort and Micoud responded with two fire trucks, but when they arrived on the scene one house was completely destroyed. However, they were able to contain the fire to prevent other houses nearby from being razed.
Kareen Joseph, one of the fire victims said despite their losses, he is still thankful that no one was injured during the blaze.
According to the neighbors, due to the intensity of the fire which began at the back of the house, they were unable to extinguish it.
Mikelear Hunte, who lives close to the house that was completely destroyed, said she realized something was burning when she began smelling smoke, prompting her to ask a friend who was with her, to go and check what was happening.
“We realized that our neighbor’s house was on fire….and heard people calling for help,” she said, adding that a window of her home was shattered due to the heat which the fire exuded.
Hunte said fire officers were immediately summoned to the scene, but when they arrived the house was already engulfed in flames.
She added that the fire officers responded quickly and did very well to contain the fire.
“I want to commend the fire officers for a job well done,” she said.
Up to press time, fire officers were unable to ascertain the cause of the fire.