The daughter of a freelance video journalist was killed in a house fire yesterday. Fire and police officers said while the origin of the blaze had not yet been determined they had ruled out arson. Police said Rhea Heeralal, 24, a school teacher, was alerted to the fire around 5 am at the family’s home located at the corner of Sapphire and Topaz Avenue, Cunupia.
Police said her father Ramdeo Heeralal, who supplies CNC3 News with video footage of news stories, attempted to douse the flames which began in the kitchen area but the flames got out of control. Naridoon Heeralal, the mother of Rhea, said her daughter called the fire services for help but the flames trapped her in the kitchen area. Her father tried to rescue her but suffered burns to the upper body, said Naridoon.
She, along with another daughter, Rhesia, 30, and Ramdeo were able to evacuate from the building. Ramdeo was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, where he remains warded. A neighbour, who asked not to be identified, said she heard a woman screaming as if she was being beaten only to discover one of her neighbour’s homes engulfed in flames.
The woman said the blaze lasted for around ten minutes but its intensity was enough to destroy the complete upper floor of the concrete structure. Fire officers were up to late yesterday attempting to determine the cause of the blaze. Central Division Senior Superintendent Johnny Abraham said police received a report that the fire started around 4.30 am and apparently Heeralal’s daughter was trapped in the house.
Several friends online expressed their condolences to the family. Fire services spokesperson for Central Trinidad ACFO Mervyn Layne said the body of the woman was found after the fire services operation was completed. Layne said arson had been ruled out. “So far the evidence was not conclusive [as to] the source of the fire,” he said. “Based on the information, we are looking for a cause which has not arrived as yet,” he said.
Officers of the Chaguanas, Tunapuna and San Juan Fire Stations responded to the report.