Mother and Son Injured in Fire

This morning, a mother and her child were injured when their home erupted in flames while they were sleeping. The incident occurred around nine-thirty a.m. on Raccoon Street near Central American Boulevard. After hearing a disturbance, several neighbors rushed to assist before alerting authorities. Fortunately, the mother and her son were able to escape, however, they were burned during the process and were not able to recover any of their possessions. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the scene today to gather more details. Here’s the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Marsha Dawson, a resident of Raccoon Street for over seventeen years, was carrying out her morning routine when a commotion nearby startled her. At first, she wasn’t sure what the commotion was but upon seeing flames at her neighbors, she and her husband rushed to the scene to assist.

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson, Neighbor of Fire Victim

“Well this morning, I get up and I mi di do some washing, and I look through the window, because I mi hear like something like a gunshot, so I look through the window, and but I noh see nothing. So I peep cross to my neighbor’s house, I look and I see smoke come out through the front door.  So after that, I hail my husband, I tell he, I said, baby, fire. So by the time we left my room, reached to the front door, we sih fire to come out of the front door. So my husband tell me mek we get a bucket. So he get to a bucket full of water and he run over here. And when we come, the young lady dih cry, said that his son is upstairs. And we come two ah ney get bad burn.”

 

The house belonged to Michael Gill, more commonly referred to as “Bibby”. Dawson said that he has owned the house for over twenty years and the woman, and her infant son had only been living in the house for a few months. Together with her husband, she did her best to assist the neighbors with limited resources.

 

Britney Gordon

“Who all was here to help extinguish the flames?”

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson

“Me and my husband, we were the first two with a bucket of water?”

 

Britney Gordon

“And did anyone call the fire department? When did they get here?”

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson

“Well, I call the police fih tell ney fih assist me call the fire truck. So they say everything de pan dih way. You know, they neva tek too long. They reach a reasonable time. Carry the young lady, the police, take her in the hospital.”

 

According to neighbors, the residents received severe burns and are currently still recovering in the hospital. The source of the fire is still unknown.

 

Reporter

“What kind of injuries did the young lady receive her and the toddler?”

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson

“Some bad burns where I see. Her entire body, face. Ih foot, ih hand, ih chest.”

 

Reporter

“I know she was disoriented, but did she say what may have caused the fire? Where did it start?”

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson

 “No, she mean as shock cause when I call her, she just stand up. Just say watch me, and they say nothing. Nothing, nothing.”

 

As the family was unable to recover anything, the community is appealing to the public to assist in any way possible.

 

Britney Gordon

“Do you know what kind of losses she accumulated here? Was she able to recover anything?”

 

Voice of: Marsha Dawson

 “Lost everything, everything, everything. Nothing’s here.”

 

As her neighbor lost her phone in the fire, Dawson can be contacted at the number 6145-1679 for donations. Britney Gordon for News Five.