An enraged man tried to kill his former wife Ivelisse Adames, 30, and their three children aged 13, 7 and 2 by locking them in and setting the house ablaze, but a vigilant neighbor came to their rescue. The family’s lives were saved, but the neighbor and residents of seven neighboring homes in the slum of Los Guandules lost all their belongings in the resulting blaze. The fire occurred at Callejon de Payano, on Calle Rico Carty in Los Guandules, National District. The neighbors blame Diomedes Ubri Solis, 40, of causing the disaster that occurred at 4am on Tuesday 1 January.
Gabriel Payano Pena said Ubri Solis set a mattress on fire with the family inside and locked the door from the outside with the padlock and left.
Payano said the neighbors only had time to evacuate and lost their belongings. He said he himself lost his belongings including his motorcycle and some money he had saved to repay a debt.
The firefighters arrived in time to prevent the blaze from spreading further. The blaze spread when a propane gas tank exploded.
The neighbors said that the couple had a history of violence and had been to the neighborhood prosecutor’s office several times.
Gabriel Payano said that the director of the Presidency Social Plan, Cesar Prieto had promised to help the affected families.
www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2013/1/2/146211/Joven-narra-como-salvo-vida-vecina-y-sus-hijos