BY RALPH BANWARIE Monday, December 14 2009

A husband and his wife are fighting for their lives after a relative doused them with kerosene and lit them on fire on Friday night.

The relative, who was arrested in the Tamana forest by police yesterday, also set the couple’s house on fire, while they slept.

Andrew Massey, 21, and his wife Sarah Ramdahanie, lived in the house owned by Massey’s father in Caratal Village, Four Roads Tamana.

They are both warded in the Intensive Care Unit of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, in critical condition. The couple are said to have received third degree burns.

Their house, valued over $75,000, was completely destroyed by the fire.

Police said at about 10.30 pm on Friday, Massey and his wife Ramdahanie were asleep when their attacker entered their bedroom and sprayed kerosene on them.

He then lit a match, setting the unsuspecting couple on fire before running outside and setting fire to the house, which was also doused with kerosene.

Massey and Ramdahanie were assisted out of the house by neighbours who heard their screams. Their neighbours also tried to extinguish the fire.

The couple was rolled on the ground and bags were used to save them.

They were immediately rushed to the Arima Health Facility and were later transferred to the EWMSC in Mt Hope.

Police said the 51-year-old relative, who is a gardener, immediately fled the scene and went into hiding in the Tamana forests.

He was captured by police from the Cumuto Police Station.

The party of policemen, which included Cpls Ravi Lochan, Brent Tewarie, Darryl Liebert and PC Darryl Baksh went on a manhunt some four miles in the forest where they captured and arrested the suspect.

He has since been charged with arson and attempted murder and is expected to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate today.

Late last night, police said Massey’s condition took a turn for the worst, while Ramdahanie remains in critical condition.

Police believed the attack stemmed from a family quarrel, after Massey and his wife were asked to leave the house, but refused.