At approximately 9:30pm Velma Trim-Jackson who has vision problems was asleep when someone forcefully banged on her front door of her apartment upstairs shouting “get out there is a fire”. Trim-Jackson and her other nine family members of the two-story residential building remained unaware of the fire’s cause and were unable to salvage any belongings.
With three main buildings on the premises, one was a two-story residential property and it was completely destroyed. The second served as an assembly with a restaurant and bar rented to T.A.M.E.P.H.A. Jacobs, while the third consisted of apartments, all three owned by Velma Trim-Jackson and Errol Drake.
According to the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (Tobago Divisional Head), approximately two individuals lost their jobs, but ten persons have been spared from injuries and are without a roof over their heads.
The two-story property assessment reached $1.34 million, facing nearly $1 million in damages. The assembly site, including the restaurant, was valued at $675,000 and suffered $50,000 in property damage and $30,000 in belonging losses, potentially leading to two job losses. The residential apartment building is valued at $1.62 million and experienced $150,000 in property damage.
