Family members were left grief-stricken after 90-year-old Ida White died in a house fire at Go Peace Lane in Salt Spring, St James Friday morning. She had been confined to bed because of illness.

Firefighters, who were doing cooling down operations at the house, found her body in the destroyed wooden structure. The firefighters say they got a call about 8:55 am and responded with two units. However, it was too late to save White or the home.

“Upon arrival, we would have been met by the police team from Montego Hills Police Station that was already on the scene. They made it known to us that when they got to the location, the entire structure was already engulfed in flames. They were later told by the caretaker for Miss Ida White, approximately 90 years old, that she is in the building,” said acting Superintendent Everette Montaque.

Montaque said the police were alerted after White’s body was found in the western section of the building.

Her granddaughter Collette Kerr is among those stunned by the news of her death.

“Bwoy, mi cyaa feel good. A mi one granny left, she alone left, mi love her like that. Right now a drop mi drop down, see the coco ya,” she said as she pointed to her bruised head.

She said her grandmother lived alone in a yard shared by the family and they often checked on her as they knew she was unable to care for herself.

“We visit her; the house them very close. At least three times a day we visit her [as] we know she gone back to baby stage. We nuh lef her out,” Kerr said.

The damage has been estimated at $2 million.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing (Source Jamaica Observer)