Fire hits Destra’s family home

The childhood home of soca star Destra Garcia was partially destroyed by a fire yesterday evening, leaving five of her close relatives, among them her 92-year-old grandmother, homeless. Yesterday’s fire at Mango Alley, Trou Macaque, Laventille, came three weeks after a fire at an apartment building nearby claimed the lives of four residents and left more than 100 homeless. At around 5 pm, Garcia’s relatives were alerted to the fire which reportedly started in the bedroom of Garcia’s elderly grandmother, Ina Alexander. Residents of the area formed a bucket brigade to try to put out the fire as they waited for the arrival of four fire tenders which arrived within 10 minutes.

The blaze was put out around 6 pm. In an interview, Garcia’s father, Augustine, said it was possible the fire might have started after a relative lit a candle to find money. He believed the bed caught afire. “When the neighbours called out to us, I just made sure everybody get out of the house,” Augustine added. He said several parts of the home was still habitable and some of his family would be accommodated by relatives who live nearby.