A FAMILY of six in Montego Bay were left homeless yesterday after fire destroyed their five-bedroom house in Water Lane.

Angella Whyte, a mother of four, said she had just left home for work when she received a call from one of her neighbours informing her that her house was on fire.

"This caan real, this caan real at all," a distraught Whyte exclaimed as she looked at the remains of her house in downtown Montego Bay.

Damage to the property is estimated at $2.5 million.

Whyte, who lived with her boyfriend at the home, is however, grateful that her children were at their grandparents' home when the incident occurred. No one was injured in the fire.

Concerned about children's education

Nevertheless, she is deeply concerned about how this tragedy will affect her children's education, especially her 14 year-old son, who will sit the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) this year.

"Everyting burn up, school books, uniforms, important documents; everyting! Di kids dem neva miss a day at school an mi nuh know which direction wi fi turn ya now, especially wid wha happen here today," Whyte lamented.

She is appealing to the public for assistance, especially for her children to get textbooks and uniforms in order to ensure that their education is not jeopardised.

Despite the loss, the family remains optimistic, as Whyte indicated that, "wi want to rebuild it, but not right now, because wi affi focus pon the children and for them to go back to school wid all the tools they need".

The St. James Fire Department has indicated that arsonists may have started the fire.