When a fire started on the rooftop in Marabella on Monday afternoon, family members and workmen tried to put out the flames. But within a few minutes, they looked on helplessly as the fire became too much for them to handle.
The Brathwaite family of Enid Street were unable to save the two-storey house or household articles, which resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Fire officers from the South Fire Services Headquarters in Mon Repos were able to prevent the flames from spreading to an adjoining structure.
Garvin Brathwaite said his mother, Cynthia, 79, and two other female relatives lived in the house. He recalled that workers were changing the roof at around 1 pm, and a fire started while welding a steel beam.
'I was helping them, and after a while, I saw smoke. I don't know how long the smoke had been there. We lost everything on the top floor because the fire spread all over in less than a minute.
"My mother was home, and I told her to leave the house. We did not have time to move anything.
'The workmen started using buckets of water, thinking they had the fire under control.'
The family members and curious onlookers gathered nearby at the scene as the fire officers put out the fire.
Sgt Seetaram is leading the investigation.
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