Victim of neighbour’s fire unhappy about unprofessional responses from police and having to foot bill for repairs

A Golden Grove woman whose house was badly damaged by a fire
on the weekend is expressing frustration at the manner in which the
Police and Fire officials are handling her case.
 
The woman says her house sustained significantly greater damage
than was initially reported – in an incident that she suspects was
arson.

The fire completely destroyed the targeted house – her neighbour’s
– but spread to her property, causing major damage to her three-
bedroom, two-bathroom wooden dwelling.
 
Today, she says, she is still picking up the pieces from the fire, which
has left her and her two sons virtually homeless.
 
Since the inferno, she reports, she has been forced to stay with a
niece who lives at the back of the property, while her sons are now
staying with their father.
 
The woman tells REAL News that on the day before the fire, Friday,
October 13, she made a report to the Grays Farm Police Station,
complaining about a neighbour who allegedly has mental issues.
 
She alleges that the man had been throwing stones at the house in
which he lived with his uncle – the same house that burned to the
ground during the fire.

 
According to her, the stones almost struck her vehicle; but, in spite
of reporting that incident to the Police, they never responded to the
report.
 
The woman says that certain statements were made by the man in
reference to the house in which he lived, and he appears to have
acted on them.
 
She says she is frustrated that no one is taking responsibility for the
fire and that she now has to find money to effect repairs to her own
property.
 
The victim says she was directed to take an inventory of the damage
and attach a cost to it, and then present it to the Police.

The fire reportedly destroyed furnishings, electronics, and clothing,
among other items in the house, as well as plants and trees in her
yard. Even her fence was impacted by the scorching flames, she
says.

The middle-aged woman continues to clean up her home, trying to
wash out articles of clothing, bedding and curtains which are now
mouldy from the water used to put out the fire and from smoke
damage.

In the meantime, she recalls that she was at home and asleep at the
time of the fire and was awakened by the smoke, some of which she
had inhaled.

The Golden Grove woman said she was frightened and disoriented
when she awoke to see the fire and thick plumes of smoke, and to
hear her niece and a neighbour shouting “Murder” and calling on her
to vacate the burning structure.

 
According to her, she immediately telephoned 911, but it rang out;
so she decided to call the Grays Farm Police Station and was then
directed by an officer to call 911.
 
She says she was not pleased with the lack of professionalism by the
investigators, who reportedly are saying a lot about the probe but
have not even taken pictures of the scene.