By Odette Loney Monday, August 24 2009

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TRAUMATISED: Darren Dixon...

DARREN DIXON, the lone survivor of Saturday’s tragic fire which claimed the lives of six of his family members, including his pregnant wife, had to be taken to the Couva Health Facility yesterday, suffering from acute stress, elevated blood pressure and a high fever.

Health officials said Dixon’s symptoms were brought on by the trauma of the horrific incident.

Dixon’s wife, Vanessa Chinapoo, 33, who was eight months pregnant, her children Moses, eight, Chiam, nine, Sarah, 12, his two year-old nephew Elijah Narine and sister Chenelle, 22, all died in the blaze which ravaged the top floor of the family’s home at Light Pole 608 Southern Main Road, Mc Bean, Couva, in the wee hours of Saturday mornng.

Dixon had to be given a mild sedative and he spent several hours there before being allowed to leave. He went to his relatives house at Trotman Street, Mc Bean.

When Newsday visited him yesterday, he said he was still hurting from the loss. Dixon also said he was almost sure some members of his family had escaped the inferno.

He said he, his sister Sofia and several neighbours tried in vain to get the others out but when the roof collapsed it made things difficult.

Dixon said it was only when he got outside, he realised that no one else managed to escape. “I tried everything I could to save them but there was crashing glass and the smoke and heat made it impossible to get through the back or front doors,” said Dixon.

He, too, suffered minor burns on his right arm and the tips of his ears. Yesterday, he went back to the scene of the tragic fire. His sister, Sofia, said her brother wanted to marry Vanessa soon and was also eagerly awaiting the birth of his baby, before the tragedy struck.

Now, the close-knit family are drawing strength from each other.

“We are still a close family and we draw strength from each other in this terrible time,” she said.

Although investigations are continuing, Couva police say they do not suspect foul play. Communications officer for the TT Fire Service David Thomas denied reports that fire tenders from the Couva Fire Station had no water to put out the blaze.

He said there was no water shortage and that the firemen from the Couva Fire Station responded to more than one incident that night.

He said an interim report was handed in to the Deputy Chief Fire Officer Kenrick Bethelmy and a final report is expected to be completed sometime this week.

Autopsies are expected to be performed on the six who perished in the fire at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, today.