By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FAMILIES displaced by last month’s devastating Bimini fire have secured longer-term accommodation as donations continue to pour into the island, but residents are still grappling with the emotional toll of losing their homes and possessions.

Bimini District Chief Councillor Triska Rolle said affected residents who initially stayed in hotels have now been placed in accommodation for periods of three to four months.

Her cousins were among those affected by the blaze. “Since the fire, we have been getting tremendous help from all over,” Ms Rolle said. “People have been contributing to the immediate needs of the persons who lost their homes, specifically those who lost everything.”

Clothing, groceries and household supplies have been donated from throughout The Bahamas and the United States.

Ms Rolle said the Department of Social Services played a significant role in securing temporary housing for displaced residents.

“First off, they were at hotels. Even myself was at a hotel because of the smoke inhalation that came into our home,” she said.

“But persons have now been placed more long term, more three months, four months at an Airbnb, which in one of our consuls, was very instrumental and very nice in getting one as an apartment for them that was affected.”

She said the families were now in a more stable position.

“They are doing pretty well now, more stable now, because they are in a place for a longer term,” she said. “Everything is looking positive right now.”

The fire-damaged area has since been cleared and the remains of burnt buildings removed, Ms Rolle said.

While clothing was among the most urgent needs immediately after the blaze, affected residents are now trying to replace important identification documents.

Ms Rolle said shoes, bedding, towels, groceries, water, detergent and toiletries would also help families as they rebuild their lives.

The Ministry of Social Services previously said at least five homes were affected, while Island Administrator Evak Arthur estimated that nearly 20 people were impacted.

Ms Rolle narrowly avoided losing her own home after flames reached the edge of its roof.

“As I watched the fire burn, fire did catch to the tip of my house roof,” she said.

She initially heard people shouting her name before realising they were warning her that the roof had caught fire.

“The wind was blowing all the fire towards my home,” she said. “The fellas, I only saw when they jumped on the top of my roof and they started to wet my roof. That’s the only thing that saved us — the buckets of water that caused my house not to burn down, because the fire was really headed our way.”

Ms Rolle said residents who lost their homes and belongings were still struggling to process the disaster.

“Everybody is trying to cope,” she said. “It is something else when you see a fire, but when you are affected by losing everything, it’s heart-wrenching and it’s a mind-boggling situation.”

She said the community was relying on its faith as residents recovered and considered how to rebuild.

“We just pray and ask the Lord to continue to lead and guide, and to steer our minds in the right direction,” she said.

“So long as we keep our minds stayed on Him, we know that He will be able to provide whatever was lost, and even in a greater fashion.

“Everybody is doing the best they could do at this time.”

Disaster Risk Management Authority officials also travelled to Bimini to deliver firefighting equipment.