A devastating house fire on Christmas Day has tragically claimed the life of four-year-old Tiffany Williams from Laluni Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. Tiffany succumbed to her injuries on New Year’s morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after suffering severe burns in the incident.
Her mother, Emily Williams, expressed her heartbreak in an emotional interview with News Room. “When this accident happened, it was Christmas. I baked a cake and dropped it off for them. I wasn’t there for the whole day, and then I received the news that my daughter was burned in their house. I don’t know anything; my daughter just died innocently,” Emily said tearfully.
According to Emily, she was sitting outside her brother-in-law’s home when the fire began around 5:30 PM. She explained that the fire reportedly started near a music box where her brother-in-law and his wife were located. The house was powered by a generator at the time.
Emily revealed that she had no idea Tiffany was inside until she saw her daughter at the doorway engulfed in flames. “I saw my brother-in-law run out with his son. When he ran out, I jumped up and looked for my daughter. I didn’t know she was inside because there were many children around playing in the yard,” Emily recalled. “But when my brother-in-law ran out with his son, I saw her step in front of the door on fire. I hollered and tried to jump into the fire, but by the time I reached, my brother-in-law went back into the fire and got her out.”
With the assistance of her brother-in-law, Aaron Defreitas, Emily managed to extinguish the flames from Tiffany. During the incident, Defreitas’ wife escaped through the back door of the house. “Nobody ran with my daughter; my brother-in-law ran out with his son, and that’s why my daughter got so badly burned,” she lamented.
Tiffany was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at GPHC but never regained consciousness before her passing. Emily described her daughter as a joyful and friendly child, expressing the deep sorrow of losing her only daughter among her three sons.
Meanwhile, Defreitas remains hospitalized in critical condition, having suffered severe burns to his feet, face, hands, and neck, requiring surgery. His two-year-old son, Allister, who also suffered burns to his feet, hands, and abdomen, is expected to be discharged soon.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway as the family grapples with the tragedy. The community mourns the loss of young Tiffany, remembered for her spirit and joy.
