By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FIRE Services Chief Walter Evans yesterday denied that staff shortages affected the response time to a tragic blaze that took the lives of six relatives, including a toddler and two teenage boys.

On September 11, The Tribune reported a veteran firefighter’s warning that Fire Branch officers have been repeatedly reassigned to the fight against crime – to the point where trucks are often down to a single officer and driver – severely affecting response time and effectiveness.

But Mr Evans told The Tribune yesterday his crews responded within six minutes of receiving the call that a fire had broken out at the four-room Homestead Avenue house.

“Let me put it this way,” Mr Evans said, “two trucks responded, where based on the size of the structure only one needed to respond. And they came and were able to contain the fire in a short time.”

Despite that reported response time, eyewitnesses said screams and cries for help were heard from the victims as the intensity of the fire grew.

At one point before fire trucks arrived, an onlooker tried to save the family, but was unable to get through the burglar bars, a neighbour confirmed.

Although authorities did not release the identities of the family, The Tribune understands they were: 22-year-old Jennifer Bisphaint and her 2-year-old daughter, Johanique King, Unissa Pratt, 23, Marilyn Barret Bates, 55, 15-year-old Melchizedek Bain and Trayvon Grant, 16.

Five of them were burned beyond recognition. Immediate relatives were able to yesterday positively identify the toddler whose burns were not as severe because she was shielded by her mother, The Tribune was told.

Fire crews responded to the scene at around 2am on Monday. Several hours later — at 11 am — officials opened Fire Safety month.

When the blaze was extinguished, Fire Chief Walter Evans said authorities found the family in what they believed to have been the bathroom of the home.

An aunt of the victims, Marie Winters-Lloyd, 70, said the tragic deaths of the majority of her nieces and nephews, who she helped to raise, is a hard pill to swallow. As she recalled special moments she shared with them, Mrs Winters-Lloyd fought back tears.

She said: “They grew up with me and every time my sister has a baby, I always be right there at the scene. I took care of those children (until they were) big grown men and women. I did the very best I could in every which way I could.

“When it was Christmas, they had no problems because they had their cake, their whole ham, their turkey and everything. I bring everything for them and they were happy. When they saw me, they loved their aunt and we had good communication, a good relationship and a good basic understanding

“(When I heard the news) all I did is I screamed because it was a shock to me. For six of my family to die at one time is not an easy blow. It is not an easy time.”

Mr Evans told news reporters that investigators were still unsure of what could have caused the fire.

“At this stage, the investigation is on going and it is too early for us to say conclusively what the cause is. But we are looking at several factors and I believe in a short while we will be able to wrap up the investigation, probably within another day or sooner.

“We have a general idea where the fire would have started, but once we finish the investigations we will be able to speak more conclusively,” Mr Evans said.

Yesterday was the start of Fire Safety Awareness Week.