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Retired Nurse Helen Smith looks on as home goes up in flames
An elderly woman was rescued from a burning building on Elliot Avenue earlier today as fire completely gutted the dwelling house where she lived.
Maria Pitma Smith had just gone back into the house when persons in the area noticed that the house was fully ablaze and that she might have been trapped inside. Smith was pulled out of the house by neighbors in quick time and consequently suffered no injury. She was however taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital for observation.
The other resident and homeowner, retired nurse Helen Smith was not at home at the moment of the incident but got there in time to see her house go up in flames. Maria and Helen are sisters.
Fire fighters along with a few neighbors struggled to contain the blaze and prevent further spread to adjacent properties but were unable to save the Smiths home or its contents. They lost everything.
Brian Joseph, one of the first neighbors to respond to Maria’s call for help recounted the first anxious moments of the fire. “She was on the porch talking to an ageable man as I could clearly see. I passed and called her because she is my neighbor. As I reached home I heard, fire!” …By the time I got there the house was already engulfed in flames. No one could get inside. There was just smoke, smoke, smoke. I took up a pale and started dashing.”
Joseph said that Ms. Smith told him as she was about to open the door she just see fire on her.
Joseph and the other neighbors applauded the quick response of the Fire service despite the congestion on the crowed city streets. Their prompt response may have averted a major conflagration in the Potterseille area
The cause of the fire and extent of damage have not yet been ascertained. Both the Fire Services and police are carrying out investigations.
