Family perishes at Rose Bank after house collapses

The death of five members of one family on Christmas Day, has left the close knit community of Rose Bank in a state of shock.{{more}}

Five members of the Nanton family perished, when a recently constructed house collapsed on the original family home, following a landslide from Troumaca Hill.

Dead are Walson Nanton 73 and his wife Herna 70, their daughter Hazell Baptiste, 51 and their two grand children Bernard Nanton 24 and Bartholomew (Yannick) 18.

There were nine family members in the original family home at the time of the incident. Four escaped with injuries, three of whom were hospitalized.

Wendell Nanton, son of Walson and Herna, told SEARCHLIGHT that he was asleep and woke up around 2:00 a.m. He said he smelt dirt, so when he got up to investigate, he heard a loud bang and was knocked down.

He said he heard his father calling and tried to get to his father, but was knocked down again by dirt and debris. He sustained injuries to his head and face, and with no electricity in the house, Wendell said that it was difficult to see what going on.

While searching for his father, he however found his brother in law up to his waist in mud, and tried to help him, but it was difficult.

Wendell said he then went into the streets and began bawling for help, but when he returned, he realised that his brother-in-law had already freed himself and was safe.

Eighteen-year-old Dilron Miller, Hazell’s son said that he was asleep, but awoke when he heard water running. He said it wasn’t too long after when he heard a loud explosion and was thrown off his feet. Dilron said he was able to escape with scrapes and bruises along with a cut to the back of his head, but his mother Hazell, grandparents Walson and Herna and two cousins were not so lucky.

Dilron’s mother Hazell Baptiste had recently returned home from Barbados where she had been living, to take over the family business (a grocery shop) and to take care of her aging parents.

Walson was recent double amputee as a result diabetes.

Bernard, a mentally challenged 24-year-old along with his 18-year-old cousin Bartholomew also perished.

Wendell, Dilron and his stepfather were hospitalized at the Chateaubelair hospital while Clevorn Robertson was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) by the coastguard vessel that also took the dead to Kingstown on Christmas Day.(TY)