Firefighters do cooling-down operations after a home and a business place were burnt at the intersection of Rum Lane and Water Street in Central Kingston yesterday. About eight persons were left homeless. - Norman Grindley

Two central Kingston families were burnt out of their homes yesterday after fire of an unknown origin destroyed a premises at the corner of Law Street and Rum Lane.

In the midst of the incident, it is being alleged that one family lost everything because they and the other family were at odds and not speaking to each other.

When THE WEEKEND STAR arrived at the scene sometime around 1 p.m., a handful of firefighters were seen putting out the blaze which reportedly started at least half an hour earlier.

Onlookers gathered at the fiery scene and were pitying one of the families which lost everything they had. "Jah kno, just like that di people dem lose everything, it rough," one male resident said.

Keisha Phillips, a mother of three who lived at the house, confirmed the man's claims when she said, "birth paper, clothes, everything gone," with tears running down her cheeks.

According to her, she was asleep when the fire started and when she was awoken by the smell of smoke, all she could do was grab one of her kids and flee the burning building. Her other two kids were at school.

As other residents gathered around her and spoke about the fire, THE WEEKEND STAR heard that another woman who was present at the start of the fire did not make any form of alert and instead saved some of her own personal belongings.

THE WEEKEND STAR also heard that a dispute between the two families who lived at the house led to such an action.

"A wickedness dat still, she coulda put dat behind har and mek di girl know seh fire in a di place," one resident was heard arguing to others.

Phillips admitted that this was the case but was seemingly more concerned with how she would move on with her life.

She says she can only now resort to living with friends or her babyfather, but is uncertain as to how long she can do so.