The entire community is in grief, not just the relatives of the couple killed in a house fire on Sunday in Princes Town.
"From Sisters Road, Hardbargain, to St Julien's Village in Princes Town, the people are mourning. People from other communities are also saddened by this tragic incident," said councillor for the area Latchmi Narine Ramdhan. "Villagers are coming out and morally supporting the family."
Ramdhan, a family friend, revisited the grieving family on Monday to offer condolences.
Doodooman "String" Sankar, 79, and his wife Ramdaye, 84, were burnt alive on Sunday around 7.30 am at St Julien Road in Princes Town. Sankar had had multiple strokes in the past five years, and Ramdaye had arthritis. The couple, known as Pa and Ma, had difficulty walking.
Their bodies were found on the floor of the living room. Both were burnt beyond recognition.
The Sankars lived alone in the concrete and board house, but several relatives live nearby and cared for them.
Two of the couple's sons tried desperately to get them out of the burning house, but the flames were too much.
Up to Monday, the cause of the fire was still undeterrmined.
The first responders,Princes Town fire officers, had to make a detour using a longer route to get to the fire because of bad roads and several landslips in the area.
Like Princes Town MP Barry Paradath and the councillor, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, blamed the fiery deaths on the Government.
Moonilal said in a statement on Monday: "The senior citizens, who were beloved in their community, lost their lives because the fire authorities were unable to manoeuvre through numerous landslides and potholed roads.
"The horrific deaths of Doodooman Sankar and Ramdaye Sankar graphically illustrate the abject state of the country's roads under the Rowley regime."
The opposition MP added that the UNC "and civil society" have repeatedly pleaded with the authorities to undertake a massive road rehabilitation programme. He said the Government has, however, rejected such pleas.
Southern Division police said DNA testing might be required to identify the bodies owing to their state.
Investigations are ongoing.
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