For Christmas, most children wish for toys and electronics but for the seven Seecharan siblings, their only wish this Christmas is for a place to call home.
Their wooden, two bedroom home, in Springvale, Claxton Bay, was destroyed by fire early yesterday morning, leaving them and their parents homeless.
Robin Seecharan, 59, a truck driver, his wife Raquel Babwah, 38, a housewife and their seven children, Brandon, 15, Antonio, 14, Jenel, 12, Christie, 11, Selena, seven, Anna, five and Crystal, three, were not at home when the fire broke out around 7 am.
In an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Robin said he is at a loss about how the fire started.
“We didn’t have any candles or anything, nothing was left lighting inside the house, we just don’t know how it happened,” he said.
“Me and my wife went to the grocery with the three last girls when my sister called and said the house was on fire.”
“By the time I got here, it was completely destroyed.
“The only thing we have now is the clothes on our backs.”
He said he had recently purchased a new refrigerator and stove which were also destroyed by the fire.
Raquel said the family had gone to the supermarket early because she wanted to get an early start on her Sunday lunch of baked pork, macaroni pie and callaloo.
She seemed at a lost for words as she rifled through the still smoldering ruins, looking for anything salvageable.
Robin is appealing to anyone who can offer assistance to the family to contact him at 659-2148.
“We are appealing to anyone who can help us, we just need a roof over our heads for the Christmas. Right now, I don’t know where my children will sleep tonight.”
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Help wanted for the Seecharans
The T&T Guardian reached out to the Zahir Ali Foundation’s founder, Zahir Ali who pledged to try to assist the family in rebuilding before Christmas.
Ali said he would visit the family today to assess their needs and provide some immediate food relief.
Manager in the People’s Unit of the Ministry of Social Development, Asauph Ghany, also pledged to provide assistance to the family today.