A Linden community is now in shock after a fire claimed the life of a one-year-old child. The building, located at Wismar, went up in flames at around 19:30hrs on Tuesday.
Investigations revealed that the victim and her mother, 22-year-old Anika Hamy, along with her father and two-year-old sister occupied the home – a one-flat wooden structure measuring approximately 18ft by 12ft.
Anika Hamy was at home with her two children at the time of the incident. According to reports, the children were playing in the living room when the mother went into the kitchen to fry eggs for dinner.
She was cooking on a kerosene stove, resting on an old gas stove. She lit the kero stove, and as she was about to fry the eggs, the stove fell to the floor; simultaneously, the oil and the fire from the stove quickly spread across the floor.
The one-year-old child (Aziza Albert) immediately ran towards her mother, and by doing so, she ran into the fire. She received severe burn injuries. However, Anika managed to take her two children out of the house for safety, and she immediately raised an alarm. A few neighbours formed a bucket brigade and attempted to out the fire, while the others stood and made video recordings with their cellphones.
Nonetheless, the Fire Service was summoned, and in a short while, Fire Tender # 99, Commanded by Leading Fireman Lovell and a crew of five, arrived and went into action and put out the fire. However, the entire house was razed to the ground.
Aziza Albert was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex, where she received medical attention for second and third-degree burns. Aziza Albert was later transferred from the Linden Hospital Complex to the GPHC, and at approximately 23:00 hrs last night (2023-10-24), she died while receiving treatment.
The body was escorted back to Linden and is currently lying at Pensioner’s Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
