By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A 13-year-old boy died when a fire broke out at the friend’s house he was staying in overnight, turning the building into a blazing inferno.

The heartbreaking cries of the youngster screaming for help filled the air as neighbours tried desperately to rescue him by breaking windows and throwing buckets of water at the single-storey wooden house in Crown Haven, Abaco, at 3am on Monday morning.

But their valiant efforts were in vain and the boy, identified as Montana Ferguson, died at the scene.

Homeowner, Ocianna Scott and her three children escaped but lost everything in the fire. It took firefighters nearly an hour to arrive from Cooper’s Town, about 40 to 50 minutes away. By then, the house had been completely destroyed.

The tragedy has renewed urgent calls for a fire truck and hydrants in the Little Abaco communities.

Police confirmed a juvenile was killed, adding: “The exact cause of the fire is not known at this time. Investigations into this matter continue.”

Volunteer firefighter Gary Smith, who responded, said the loss was especially painful for him as a father.

“It was a somber moment for me because I’m a father-of-three,” he said. “I was out there from 3am, and only got home after 9am. It wasn’t easy, because at the end of it all, we lost a life.”

Mr Smith said by the time he reached Crown Haven, residents were already battling the fire with buckets.

“I’m stationed in Cooper’s Town. It probably took me about 50 minutes to get there. By the time I arrived, the house was already destroyed. All we could do was stop the fire from spreading to the bushes and extinguish the remaining flames,” he said.

He praised residents for their quick response.

“The first thing I saw was one of my cousins carrying buckets of water from another property. The people down there don’t mess around. They weren’t waiting on a fire truck — they were toting buckets and buckets of water, trying to put it out themselves.”

Bishop Tyrone Mills of End Time Harvest Ministries described the scene as heartbreaking.

“It was sad; words can’t describe it,” he said. “When I got there, the house was already burned to the ground. And what they (bystanders) said to me especially about the young man — he was trapped inside. It was a horror for him, you know. He could not get out.”

The home, he added, had bars or shutters that trapped the boy.

“By the time they get it off, the fire just gushed outside, he said, according to eyewitnesses. So, they could not get inside. He was just screaming… it’s hard to talk about.”

Bishop Mills, who also drove the school bus in the area, said he recognised the teen. “I know him, and from what I gather, he was just there for a sleepover. The parents are distraught, and I am supposed to visit with them later today.”

Island Administrator Stephen Wilson confirmed only three people were in the house when the fire started, including the victim. He said investigations continue but underscored the urgent need for firefighting resources.

“A fire truck was on the scene. But we do need a fire truck because one has to come from Cooper’s Town, and we also need fire hydrants in the Little Abaco communities,” he said.

Mr Wilson explained that once the truck runs out of water, it must travel back to Cooper’s Town to refill. “It takes one-and-a-half to two hours to go back and forth from Cooper’s Town. It takes 40 minutes to get there and 40 minutes to get back. So that’s a lot of time consumed,” he said.

“We should be getting ready to get a fire truck at some point in the not-too-distant future. So, we’re looking for that to happen. We also need fire hydrants, and I am going to be addressing that again — fire hydrants throughout Little Abaco communities,” he added.

He expressed condolences to the victim’s family and urged residents to be cautious about home conditions when going to bed.

North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish also offered condolences.

“It is with a heavy heart that I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young 12-year-old who tragically lost his life this morning in a house fire in Crown Haven,” he said in a Facebook post.

“As a Member of Parliament for North Abaco, I share in the grief of our community at this heartbreaking loss of such a young life. No words can truly ease the pain of this moment, but please know that my thoughts and prayers are with the family as they navigate this unimaginable time of sorrow.”

Residents have since launched appeals for help for Ms Scott and her children, who lost everything in the blaze. In a Facebook post, her name and a contact number were shared, urging anyone able to assist to reach out directly. Calls to Ms Scott by The Tribune went unanswered.