IN JAMAICA : Fire leaves 16 homeless including students sitting the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) after a fire destroyed four one-bedroom houses along Paisley Road in Kingston...."Have mercy! Mi lose every thing! All mi daughter items destroyed. She at school now doing her exams," said the woman as she cried.

SIXTEEN persons, including students sitting the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), were yesterday left homeless after a fire destroyed four one-bedroom houses along Paisley Road in Kingston.

Fire Victims

Reports are that about 10:00 am residents saw smoke coming from premises, located off Slipe Road near the Blood Bank, and raised an alarm.

"I was in my house when I heard a little girl screaming," said one of the fire victims.

The woman said she ran outside to investigate what was happening and realised that several houses were on fire.

The woman said all of her belongings were destroyed. These included items belonging to her daughter who is currently sitting the GSAT. The final papers of the two-day examination, which is used to place primary school students into secondary schools, will be administered today.

"Have mercy! Mi lose every thing! All mi daughter items destroyed. She at school now doing her exams," said the woman as she cried.

There were similar complaints of losses from other members of her family, despite the fact that one unit from Half-Way-Tree and two from York Park fire stations responded to the blaze.

Meanwhile, the incident caused panic among several residents in the area as they desperately tried to save what they could. more