Winston Munroe (lying on the ground), father of nine-year-old Winston Munroe who died in a fire, passed out when he heard the news. His common-law wife, Juliet Gordon (standing), also sheds tears, while another seems unsure how to react. - Photo by Dalton Laing

Family members and residents of Rock Spring in Hanover are mourning the death of a nine-year-old mentally and physically challenged youth, while at the same time blaming the tragedy on a lack of water in the community.

The Lucea firefighters were called to a fire at Rock Spring on Wednesday, as a result of which, a three-bedroom house was destroyed. Nine-year-old Winston Munroe Jr perished in the inferno.

His mother, Juliet Gordon, said she went to a nearby shop to get some supplies and to fetch water when an alarm was raised that her house was on fire.

When she ran home, nothing could be done, as the small wooden structure was quickly consumed.

Everything she and her common-law husband, Winston Munroe, owned was destroyed. Four persons are now homeless while they mourn the loss of a fifth, but the residents were in a restive mood, claiming that if water were available, things would be different.

It is believed that the fire may have been caused from an electrical short-circuit.