When fire officials arrived on the scene – off Kemp Road in New Providence – they reportedly met the two-storey structure fully engulfed in flames. The neighbour reportedly had already rescued the children.
Another neighbour who watched the drama unfold told The Bahama Journal that shortly after 1pm he saw thick smoke coming from the upstairs building.
The man said the neighbour immediately ran across the street, kicked the door in and took the children out of the home to safety.
Three ambulances arrived on the scene but left empty.
Fire officials ruled out arson as the cause of the fire. They believe the children were playing with matches, which resulted in the fire.
According to Sergeant Ernest Hanna, who is stationed with the fire branch of the police force, the children were home alone at the time the fire started.
The eldest of the three children, an 11-year-old boy, had reportedly been left to care for his cousins, ages one and four years old.
The 11-year-old reportedly lived in the apartment with his parents, but his mother was said to be in hospital and his father reportedly left him to care for the younger children.
Mr. Hanna said this was the third fire incident in the last two weeks involving children who had been left unattended.
He said this is cause for concern.
“Even if the fire started accidentally, no grown-ups were home to supervise the children or to get them out,” Mr. Hanna said, “but luckily, we had no injuries today.”
He again advised parents against leaving young children alone.
Early investigations into yesterday’s blaze revealed that the fire started in the western bedroom of the two-bedroom unit, police said.
When The Bahama Journal arrived on the scene firefighters were busy tackling the blaze.
The apartment unit was destroyed. In addition to fire damage, the unit also sustained water damage.
Mr. Hanna said that the family of the children has to be grateful to the neighbor who rescued them because the fire could have easily resulted in the deaths of the children.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
