Tragedy in JAMAICA! Fire destroys Wortley Home for girls leaving 21 young female wards of the State, ages 7-18, and the home's administrators in distress.

KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter mattthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, June 30, 2015    

FIRE yesterday destroyed a large section of the 97-year-old Wortley Home on Constant Spring Road in Kingston, leaving 21 young female wards of the State, ages 7-18, and the home's administrators in distress.

Firemen extinguish fire

Police report that about 11:30 am persons passing the area saw smoke coming from one of the dormitories and raised an alarm.

Firefighters said seven units responded to the blaze, which took them more than two hours to control.

The units, according to the firefighters, came from the nearby Half-Way-Tree Fire Station, as well as from Rollington Town, York Park, and Trench Town -- all located more than 20 minutes drive away.

"We got the call a few minutes after 11:30 am and we reached at the location as quickly as possible," one firefighter told the Jamaica Observer.

Tragedy

Help also came from people living in nearby communities, but despite their efforts the majority of the building was gutted.

One female ward, who had just returned from school to find the place on fire, was distraught.

"When I was at school I saw the smoke and joked to my friend: 'Yuh nuh si seh a wi house a burn down'," she told the Observer with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Manager at the home, Dolores Bailey, was equally distraught, saying that it was a sad day for the institution, which was founded in 1918 by the Rev Canon Wortley, who was then rector of St Andrew Parish Church, and his wife Bertha. It caters to needy girls, regardless of socio-economic or religious backgrounds, and is one of three children's homes operated by the Anglican Church in Jamaica. more