Vincentian family perishes in house fire in New Jersey

Six members of a Vincentian family were killed in a house fire early Sunday morning in Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Salome Keil Stewart 58, originally from New Montrose, perished in the fire along with her husband Reginald Stewart, 58, her daughters Natasha Kinsale Forbes, {{more}}37 and Noreen “Michelle” Keil Johnson, 43 and her grandchildren Zion Forbes, 11 and Stephon Sydney, 15, who was Noreen’s son.

Salome, her husband and Natasha all lived in the house, while Zion was visiting from East Orange, New Jersey and Noreen and Stephon were visiting from Crawford, Georgia.

The Associated Press reported that the fire started around 4 a.m. at 818 South 15th St. The single-family, three-story house was already fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, officials said. The flames of the fast-moving fire took over the home, as well as a house next door.

Panicked neighbours were screaming for help, the AP reported.

“We knew people were in there. It was a woman in the back screaming for help,” said neighbour Erica Simmons. “And it was nothing no one could do about it.”

Witnesses also said they called 911, but telephone operators took several minutes to answer their calls.

“It was already in flames, for a long time,” said neighbour Iminah May. “But by the time they got here it was just — and then when they got here, they didn’t respond, like, trying to put the fire out fast enough. So it didn’t end well.”

Meanwhile, one neighbour tried to enter the home through the front door, but the flames were too intense, witnesses said.

Residents on the street and the family’s pastor were remembering the victims as a nice family.

“They’re very good people,” said James Johnson, the family’s pastor.

Eighty-five firefighters battled the blaze for about two hours, 1010 WINS reported. Firefighters battled the blaze from inside, but were overwhelmed by the flames and had to retreat outside.

As investigators sifted through the charred rubble of this home, it was unclear how the fire started.

“We don’t know exactly where it started at this point,” Newark deputy fire chief Richard Gail said. “There was a lot of fire, so that’s going to take a little bit of working out to find the actual point of origin.”

But neighbours thought they heard what sounded like an explosion just before the fire.

“I did hear last night, I head a boom,” Kowlessar said. “I didn’t come outside, though. I stayed in my bed. I thought, I was like, it was firecrackers or something.”

Fennelly said the fire doesn’t appear to be suspicious, but the cause remains under investigation.

Salome was the daughter of Catherine Keil Walters of Upper New Montrose. She has three brothers Rufus Keil (USA), Orpen Keil, a teacher at the Kingstown Technical Institute and Anthony Keil, a tailor at the George McIntosh Market. Her sisters are Christine Keil Moultre (USA), Sylvena Keil-Cudjoe and Annis Stephens of Sharpesdale.

Only one of Salome’s three daughters, Alicia Forbes, is now alive, the other two having perished in the fire.