Another person is dead following Wednesday’s arson attack on a house in Couva.
Dead is Lester Foster, an employee of MTS. Foster died around 1.30 am yesterday at the San Fernando General Hospital.
On Wednesday, Lester’s nephew Tyrone Foster, 25, a terminal worker at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, died after he became trapped in their heavily burglarproofed house, which was targeted by arsonists as the family slept.
Fire Services officials speculated that he probably inhaled smoke from burning foam, which is very toxic.
Tyrone’s girlfriend Layla Richards and mother Lorna Cuffie-Foster remain hospitalised.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Lorna said she got the bad news that Lester had died while suffering in pain on her hospital bed around 2 am yesterday.
Lorna, who cannot speak properly, said she was in excruciating pain and suffered burns to her back and will need therapy to recover.
When asked why her family was targeted, Lorna said she had no idea but noted that people were spreading rumours about Tyrone after he was killed. Lorna said Layla was also being treated for several burns to her body. Lorna said a lot of people have offered their prayers for her and Layla’s recovery.
The T&T Fire Service said an accelerant such as gasoline may have been used in the attack, since there were fire trails on the lawn outside the duplex where Foster lived at 27 Anand Yankaran Street Extension in the Exchange Housing Development. The family was also targeted in December, when their house was stoned.
On Thursday night, residents staged a vigil for Tyrone and lit flambeaux along the roadside, since the area has no street lights.