The house of a single mother, Narcissa Dionicio, 52, of Salvapan, the mother of twelve children, was completely destroyed by fire at about 7:30 Sunday evening. Her belongings and household furnishings were destroyed.

Dionicio and her children are now homeless, and she is asking the public to help her to acquire materials to rebuild a house, clothing, food, books and uniforms, and also monetary donations to buy needed items for survival.

A family member told Amandala that on Sunday night, Dionicio was at home doing some work when suddenly one of her grandchildren came running to her and told her that the baby had put a lighted candle on the mattress where the grandchild sleeps, and it had caught fire.

Dionicio immediately ran into the room to see what was happening and that was when she saw that the mattress was burning. She quickly tried to get water to throw on the burning mattress, but there was insufficient water.

She tried to grab the mattress to throw it out, but by that time it was engulfed in flames.

She immediately evacuated the children, and while doing so she began to get burned, but was able to safely evacuate the children out of the house.

She tried to go back to the house to take out some items, but the fire already had spread out of control.

By the time the fire engine came, the house had already been reduced to rubble.

Dionicio said that during the fire, there was no help. The neighbors responded quickly, but by the time they came, everything was burnt.

She said that the grandchildren were playing with the candle on the mattress in their room, causing it to catch fire.

Dionicio said that she is single and struggled to build the house alone. She has no one to help her, and the children are little, and they live with her.

The public is urged to give generously to the devastated mother and her children. Dionicio and her family can be contacted at 624-5288, or they can visit her at her yard in Salvapan, Belmopan.