The Fire and Ambulance Services is investigating three fires which occurred at Pointe Michel, Gutter community and Tarish Pit on the weekend.
Reports from the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Fire and Ambulance Services, Wayne Letang indicates that at approximately 9:00 pm on Friday [July 22] fire fighters from the Roseau Fire Station responded to a call about a fire at the Pointe Michel Catholic Church.
He said on arrival at the scene, the blaze was already extinguished but the fire had already damaged some furniture and electrical fixtures inside the building.
Letang also confirmed that at about 2:15 am on Saturday [July 23] fire fighters responded to a fire in the Gutter community.
“A two-floor residential building owned by Mr. Francis Edwards was met fully ablaze,” Letang revealed. “The fire damaged the top floor and all of its contents.”
He explained that Edwards and his family occupied the ground floor, while Cyprian Beaupierre occupied the top floor of that building.
“All occupants were home during the blaze,” Letang stated. “No significant injuries were reported.”
Letang stated, however, that Beaupierre was transported to the Accident and Emergency Department at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) to be treated for, “suspected smoke inhalation.”
“An adjacent building owned by Henry Thomas also sustained minor damage,” he explained.
Meantime, Letang indicated that fire fighters responded to another house fire at approximately 4:43 am on Saturday in the Tarish Pit area.
He said a residential building owned and occupied by Octave Anthony was met fully ablaze.
“The building constructed of lumber and concrete roof, all its contents was completely destroyed by the blaze,” he noted. “No injuries were reported.”
This is heartbreaking, three fires at the weekend. Someone has a grudge. There is an arsonist at large.
Police Officers I expect you will question the owners of those buildings about their associates, conversations with them verbally or on the telephone and if they had a tiff with anyone. This is how some culprits get arrested.
Lord, may the culprit(s) be caught as soon as possible.
This is bad.
The church fire is already suspected to have been arson.
The authorities will decide if one or both of the following fires was (were) arson. If so you could have a serial arsonist on the rampage. This would suggest that the church was not necessarily targeted because it was a church. It could have been a random hit along with the others. However, the missing flag at the church seems to give the church special significance.
The Church, considering that flag was removed, seems to have been done by a troubled individual who has a problem with authority.
Many people will appreciate DNO giving us ongoing news of the investigations if there is any new developments.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.