Two 8-y-o boys die in house fire ’caused by candle’ in Westmoreland

A pall of gloom continues to hang over Whitehouse in Westmoreland after two eight-year-old boys died in a house fire in the community on Thursday morning.

The deceased are Jamar Reid and his nephew Romaine Powell, who were both students of New Hope Primary and Junior High School in Westmoreland.

The police have detained the mother of one of the boys, as well as her common-law spouse, as a probe continues into the incident.

Reports are that firefighters attached to the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Station responded to a blaze coming from a board and zinc house in the area at about 12:20 am on Thursday. During cooling down operations, the charred remains of both boys were found.

After conducting a preliminary probe, firefighters believe that an unattended candle may have caused the fire.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic loss of two young children in the fire in Westmoreland.

"This heart-breaking incident, caused by the use of a candle, destroyed their home and claimed their innocent lives," Holness wrote on Instagram.

He said years ago, the Government began distributing solar lamps to families without electricity, offering a safer alternative to open flames.

"In light of this incident, I have instructed the Minister of Energy (Daryl Vaz) to accelerate the distribution of these lamps and fast-track the rollout of our ‘solar kit’ programme," Holness further stated.

"This initiative will provide households without electricity (with) access to affordable, easy-to-use solar solutions for lighting and small appliances like fans, radios and cell phones," he added.

Meantime, the prime minister said his heart aches for the family of the boys who died in the house fire.

"We are committed to reducing the loss of lives from preventable incidents like this, and ensuring every Jamaican family has access to safer, better living conditions. May the souls of these little ones rest in peace," Holness stated.