by Curlan Campbell, NOW Grenada
- Man let off with a police warning, blamed for destroying houses by fire
- Goblet drum maker’s home destroyed
- Police yet to charge anyone in connection with Sunday’s fire
A man said to be mentally unstable and who was let off with a warning on Friday, 21 February for lighting a fire near his home in Chantimelle, St Patrick, is now being blamed for destroying not only his wooden dwelling house, but also the house of his neighbour.
The fire on Sunday destroyed both houses and has forced Ashley Alexander to seek refuge at his sister, Bernice Thomas, who lives nearby. Alexander believes if the police had taken decisive action on Friday, his home would not have been destroyed.
“Since Friday night around 7 pm, I smelled something burning next door, and when I looked over to his house I saw smoke coming from his roof. So, I went to him and asked what fire is he lighting there but he didn’t respond, so I went and called my nephew who also asked him the same question. He responded by saying that he was lighting some paper, and at the time the police were passing through the area and we stopped them. But they didn’t go inside the house to observe what he was doing but warned him not to burn paper and they left,” he said.
On Sunday morning, Alexander, who is known in the community to construct djembe goblet drums for a living, was in his garden. His eldest sister informed him that his neighbour, who was warned by the police 2 days prior, accidentally set his own house ablaze. By the time Alexander got to his house, he was barely able to salvage his belongings. “When I rushed home the blaze was so great that I was only able to throw out a few things, but the majority of my belongings were destroyed. I lost all my clothes, lost almost 15 goblet drums, my stove, and bed, everything has gone,” he said.
Alexander is now asking the general public for assistance. Anyone wishing to assist can contact his sister, Bernice Thomas, on 442-9587. Meanwhile, police are yet to charge anyone in connection with Sunday’s fire.
