House where children perished in St Ann blaze was lit by lamps – JFB

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is reporting that there was no electricity at the house where three children perished in a fire early on Sunday morning in Walkerswood, St Ann.

The house was being lit by lamps, according to the children's grandmother who survived the fire, along with another child.

The deceased children - a boy and two girls – were between the ages of two and seven years, and were all siblings.

They have been identified as seven-year-old Tashawna Mattis, four-year-old Tashawnie Mattis, and two-year-old Tavarno Mattis.

Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford, said the fire occurred at about 2:24 am on Sunday, and the remains of the three children were found after cooling down operations.

A total of 19 firefighters from both the Ocho Rios and St Ann's Bay fire stations responded to the blaze.

Jamaica Fire Brigade Commissioner Stewart Beckford.

"On arrival, the Ocho Rios (fire) team found the house... fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters swiftly got into operation to combat the blaze," Beckford told reporters.

He said the house was occupied by two adults and four children, but at the time of the fire, only the grandmother and the children were present.

"The grandmother reported that the house had no electricity, and was being lit by lamps. She stated that she awoke during the night to find the room where the children were sleeping engulfed in flames," Beckford reported.

He said despite the best efforts of the grandmother, she was only able to rescue a five-year-old child.

"The children's mother, we were told, was not at home at the time of the fire," Beckford stated.

The commissioner said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Youth, Skills and Information, Dr Dana Morris Dixon, said first responders from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) will be providing on-spot grief counselling.

The minister also expressed profound sorrow at the tragic incident in a statement on Sunday.

Dr Dana Morris Dixon

"The heart-breaking loss of these young lives is deeply distressing and serves as a painful reminder of the vulnerabilities children face in cases of emergency," Morris Dixon said.

Continuing, she said: "CPFSA first responders are already en route to the scene of the incident to assess the situation.

"They will provide on-spot grief counselling for the surviving family members, identify any other children who may now require care, and offer support such as food, clothing and assistance in replacing essential documents," the minister indicated.