Grandmother Saves Children from Collapsing Home

A loud crack in the darkness gave Margareta Hernandez only moments to save her two young grandchildren. A massive tree had uprooted and crashed onto their Dangriga home, causing the structure to collapse around them. Hernandez managed to get the children outside safely, but the family lost most of its belongings and can no longer live on the property. They are now asking the public for food, shelter and help clearing away the fallen tree.

 

On the Phone: Margareta Hernandez, Homeowner

“We were in upstairs in the bed sleeping, you know, when we heard a huge bang and like the ceiling the was falling on us, and then me and the two kids was in the bed. One is two, one is seven years old.  But every time, it’s coming down piece by piece, so I call the guy that was downstairs in another house and so I told him, I’m gonna throw the kids down.  So I throw them down, and I jumped down. As I jumped down, everything just caved in, you know? I don’t know what the problem because it was four thirty-three to be exact. It’s Saturday morning, you know? And no breeze, but the tree fell from the root. It came from the root right on top of the house. That’s of the biggest trees in Dangriga, you know? And like I said, we lost a lot, everything. We managed to jump out from upstairs. I throw down the kids, and then I jumped behind them. It’s in the front that it fell right on top of the house. The lee snack shop, everything. It just mess up. We couldn’t salvage anything out because it all broken up. Everything broke up. Stove, the fridge, chair, everything, table.”

 

At this time, the family is asking for food donations and assistance with the removal of the tree. Those willing to help can reach the family at 666-2698.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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