St. Joseph family left homeless by fire, seeks assistance

Fire at St. Joseph

A family of seven that was left homeless after their residence in St. Joseph was destroyed by fire is seeking more assistance to get them back on their feet.

They have expressed their thanks and gratitude to the general public for the donations of items they have received thus far. However, they say that additional help will be greatly appreciated.

The fire, which last week, gutted the wooden and zinc structure in which the family of seven lived and destroying all their belongings and leaving them in dire need of food, clothing and assistance of any kind.

The owner of the house Bernard Etienne told DNO that he is now living at Layou where he works and the rest of family which includes five children who range in age from 12 years to seven months, are now living with other family members in Canefield.

Etienne told DNO that he has received a promise of assistance from the government through his parliamentary representative, Kelver Darroux.

Those who wish to assist the homeless and distressed family can contact Mr. Etienne on his cell phone at 1767 616 3511.

No details have as yet been given about the cause of the fire.

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13 Comments

  1. UDOHREADYET
    July 18, 2019

    It doesn’t ook like that shack would have passed a safety or housing inspection.

  2. Dee
    July 16, 2019

    Very thankful that no one got hurt.

  3. Kalinago Strong
    July 16, 2019

    This is quite unfortunate for the family. I do hope they will be assisted in the form of a house soon, as promise.

  4. PENNY
    July 15, 2019

    My heart goes out to the family. A question i always ask myself, Y poor people have so many kids? Putting their selves in more poverty. Well as those with money always have 2 or 3 kids. From looking at that home it looks like a run down home. I think we as poor people should control how many kids we bring on planet earth. Anyway let’s all come together and help this family.

    • July 18, 2019

      Children should always be welcomed in this earth..o.k lucifer… the sand layou river mining did it come from your property? Dont measure children life verses wealth.
      Dam rude and out off place..go to hell bcus its not your dam business

  5. Ibo france
    July 15, 2019

    These sheets of sharp metal fences should be banned. They become very dangerous missiles during high winds. The government should not wait for someone to be seriously injured or killed, be proactive. So much to do in this country but the misleader and his uncaring, loud-mouthed apostles find time to curse and vilify decent minded, law abiding people who just happen to have political differences with them. For this DLP regime, the people do not seem to be a priority for them. Only on the verge of a pending general election they come with bribes and false promises. After the election, they don’t visit your constituency for the next four years. No more bamboozlement and foolery!

  6. Ibo france
    July 15, 2019

    Profoundest sympathy goes out to the victims of this fire. I truly hope that they will get the assistance that they so badly need in their time of adversity. No human being, in any Caribbean country, in these times of modernity, should be living in such a ramshackle, tumbledown dwelling. That shack is unacceptable for human habitation. How do you expect a child, living in such horrendous conditions, to do well in life. It will take a miracle. No wonder so many youths turn to drugs and a life of crime. Living in such a decrepit environment gives rise to hopelessness. These politicians need to walk all the streets, dirt roads and the back alleys of their constituencies to see firsthand the desperate and heart wrenching conditions so many have to endure. I hope these living conditions are a wake up call for those who plan, despite the concrete evidence, on insisting on voting for a governing party that has miserably failed the country and the people in particular. No Way, Papa!

    • Me
      July 15, 2019

      Never a truer word was spoken.

    • July 16, 2019

      While there are some truth about this story we need to give some blame to the father and mother there are 5 children 12 years to 7 months old now tell me where is the government to blame for their condition of living I think after the second child stop and prepare a proper place for you to live and raise your kids but no some people don’t think that one day it will come to this birth control is a thing of the past no man want to hold back from that bare sex no time to think where they are going to raise their kid until some terrible happen I do hope for god sake they get the help they need and learn a lesson hold back on having more kids the oldies is 12 years old where is the money coming from to feed and clothes these kids and build a better place for them.

  7. Casio
    July 15, 2019

    shanty town kind of vibes. Meanwhie St. Joseph has remained a DLP stronghold. Not saying the government should have given then houses, but the government should be improving the business environment for people in St. Joseph to elevate themselves on their own. Business is not just for Roseau or portsmouth alone. And i know there are many hard working people from st joe. So why does the place still look downtrodden. Maybe dominicans that are left here to live have no class to self esteem to make the place look decent. Or are we the type to like to look good and smell sweet, have flashy ride but living in ghetto and squallar. These are the kinds of places that the new housing supervisor need to go to to tell those people that their homes are hazards waiting to happen.

    • jani
      July 15, 2019

      A family of seven lost all their belongings and your only comment is about politics. Shame.

      • Ibo france
        July 17, 2019

        Politics affects everything in our lives. No matter how hard we try, we just can’t avoid it. Our education, jobs, wages, air, water, food, homes, clothes, I mean everything is affected by politics, it’s just inescapable. A totally failed economy means that many people will be trapped in poverty. Workable, governmental social programs are supposed to be in place to help the least among us until they can stand on their own feet. There will always be the poor and vulnerable living among us but their numbers should be miniscule. Social welfare workers should be visiting these very depressed communities with an effort to educate and grant whatever guidance and assistance to improve the lives of these forgotten people. Once there is life there’s hope. Let’s not be too quick to condemn them to a life of nothingness.

      • Casio
        July 17, 2019

        Yup. You not seeing the state of the building from the outside? The place looking like it was a disaster waiting to happen. and it happened sadly. what you wanted me to say JANI, oh my heart goes out to them and i pray to lord jesus blablabla? I dont need to say that on DNO, because that is not my place of prayer or worship JANI. And even though i do feel sorry for the family, these kinds of structures should never be approved for people to live in. why cant they determine the cause of the fire? Next yall will say oh well why i dont give them a better house. but thats not my responsibility. Most likely their new parl rep have the house there for them already. Maybe thats the only good thing that might come out of it, a better place to live.

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