(Jamaica Star) Upon realising that her mother had visitors, four-year-old Marecia Marshall stared curiously at the news team before politely saying: “Mommy is coming, what is your name?”
She then stood closely beside her mom, Felecia Brown-Marshall, and flashed a bright smile as she welcomed her ‘guests’ on the verandah.
The pre-schooler is being hailed as a hero by the residents of Linstead, after she alerted her mother about the fire that gutted their home last Saturday.
“I must have dozed off but the next thing I know was that she was shaking me and waking me up saying ‘Mommy, mommy fire in the house!’ When I wake up I couldn’t see anything. All I could feel was heat and the smoke was so thick. I couldn’t see anything. I only could see her because she was wearing a green top. So I just grab her and run out. If she didn’t wake mi up, I would have probably died from smoke inhalation,” Felecia said.
The flames devoured the two-bedroom dwelling Felecia shared with Marecia and husband Courtney Marshall, at Cats Corner, on Grove Road, Linstead, St Catherine.
Courtney, who said he was not at home at the time of the blaze, showered his daughter with praises, stating that Felecia probably would have died if Marecia had ignored the blaze.
“She is a smart little girl. Everyone is saying she is a hero,” he said.
Seeing a photograph of her father standing outside the burnt-out house, Marecia said, “Look deh, the house burn up. Mi dolly burn up and mi book dem. Mommy never burn up.”
She clung to the arm of her mother, who later showered her with adoring kisses.
TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
Marshall said firefighters theorised that the blaze resulted from electrical problems. She said the family has been provided with temporary accommodation in the community.
Among the other valuables that were destroyed was a refrigerator that he bought hours before the blaze.
“Is over $80,000 me buy it for and mi not even get one use out of it. Is Saturday mi buy it and dem say mi must wait 24 hours before mi plug it in and see it burn out to nothing deh. Mi did plan to use it store chicken so mi can sell back,” he said.
Courtney said that although they saved nothing, he is grateful for the assistance they have been receiving from neighbours and others in the area.
But he’s not oblivious to the rebuilding task ahead of him now.
“The walls of the house are porous because of the fire and water, so I am going to have to start all over again. Anyone who can help us, I would be really grateful. I also want to thank everyone who have offered an interest in helping,” he said.