Questelles family now homeless after fire destroys their home

A family of Lower Questelles is asking the Vincentian public for help after their home was set ablaze, allegedly by a family member last Saturday.

According to Christana Lewis-Lovell, a plywood house and a neighbouring concrete house, both owned by her deceased mother, caught fire after her boyfriend Charles ‘Indian’ Jack and one{{more}} of her relatives started quarrelling over money that Jack said he had missed.

Jack, a 45-year-old employee of the Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA), told SEARCHLIGHT that $380 which he had placed in the pocket of his pants went missing, then later, he discovered $250 and $35 separately in a bag belonging to the relative and threatened to take the matter to the police.

Lewis-Lovell said following this, the relative ran to the kitchen then proceeded to the bedroom of Jack’s 16-year-old daughter, where it is alleged that the relative lit the mattress afire.

The fire quickly spead to other parts of the wooden house, destroying it completely and badly damaging the neighbouring concrete house.

Household appliances, laptops, clothes, shoes and personal documents were among the belongings that were lost in the blaze.

Lewis-Lovell further said the family lost everything, but were fortunate to receive donations of clothes from a Seventh-Day Adventist female and the Red Cross.

“Me own [relative] do me that,” a teary eyed Lewis-Lovell stated, as she was comforted by her daughter.

According to the family, they were outside when the fire started and their efforts to rescue their belongings were thwarted by the thick smoke.

Also speaking to SEARCHLIGHT was Mary Lewis, daughter of Lewis-Lovell, who revealed that it is customary for the relative to verbally disrespect her mother. She stated that the relative had previously threatened to burn down the house.

Since losing their home, the family has been moving from house to house and Lewis-Lovell, now in tears, revealed that both her mother and father are dead and they have nowhere to turn.

Cherline Lewis, the 31-year-old daughter of Lewis-Lovell, also of Bottom Questelles, was charged with arson after she appeared before the Serious Offences Court yesterday.

A Preliminary Inquiry into the matter will begin on February 7, 2016. (AS)