A pensioner has been detained for questioning after a fire completely destroyed a home in Aranjuez, San Juan, leaving 15 people, including six children, homeless. The incident is suspected to be an arson attack following an altercation between members of the two families who lived in the house.
According to a police report, close to 1 am on Tuesday a fire ignited at the Mary Street house. Fire appliances from San Juan Fire Station responded but fire-fighter were save the split-level wooden, concrete and galvanized structure.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Rayceen Bissant, 30 said she was looking at a movie on television when she noticed a man walking on the street.
“I found it strange to see the man, who I know well, walking that hour of night. I looked at him and he walked past the house and then I saw when he turned around and walked closer to the next side of the house. Within minutes I heard my mother scream out fire, fire, fire,” Bissant said.
“We tried to use two buckets and a hose to out the fire but the heat was too much as it melted it, so we had to wake up who was sleeping and get everyone out of the house to safety. In no time the house and everything in it went up in flames. The little things that we tried to save by throwing it out through windows melted in the heat…we lost everything.”
Guardian Media was told an altercation took place between an elderly man and one of Bissant’s female relatives, who also lived in the house, on Monday.
“It is after all this happened that we got to know what happened…that there was an altercation during which the man did say that he would burn down the house,” Bissant said.
Officers of the Barataria Police Station responded to the scene that same night and immediately detained the man for questioning. Up to press time the elderly man was said to be still in police custody.
Meanwhile, Bissant said because of the fire her family was now separated.
“My aunt and her children staying by in-laws, while my sisters and mother staying by a friend’s house. I don’t even have my son (10 years) with me as I had to send him to his father’s until we could catch ourselves again.”
Anyone willing to assist Bissant and her family can contact 786-8701.