Bimini Fire Victims: “We Lost Our Security and Years of Memories”

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BIMINI, BAHAMAS – For the families who lost everything in Wednesday morning’s devastating fire in Bailey Town, Bimini, the flames may be out, but the pain is only beginning.

Naria Rolle – Bimini Fire Victim

“ Was sleeping and I heard a crackling sound. And in my home we sleep in complete darkness. We don’t sleep with TV, radio, nothing. Just in complete silence.

“And I heard the crackling sound, and as soon as I open up my eyes, I look straight over at the bunk bed where my pregnant daughter was asleep to the bottom bunk, and I saw that the plug was on fire.”

Naria Rowe says she immediately shut off the breaker and tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but says those efforts failed.

With flames spreading quickly, she and her family were forced to escape, leaving behind decades of memories, documents, and nearly everything they owned.

Naria Rolle – Bimini Fire Victim

“ People say it doesn’t matter, but when you have a life, your life is a story, and if it has missing pages, something is missing from it. So right now I just look at my life and my girls’ life now as a blank page, and we just have to write in it.”

Rolle says the fire has left her with more questions than answers, including how she’ll continue to support her daughter through college.

Also living on the property was business owner Diana Rubens, whose family lost two homes, three Airbnb rentals, and their main source of income.

Diana Rubens – Bimini Fire Victim

“ Just to know that you work so hard every day, and then…this fire break out, and you don’t know if someone inside. You don’t know if someone’s hurt…”

However, amid the devastation, Rubens says one thing gave her hope – watching the entire community come together.

Diana Rubens – Bimini Fire Victim

“There was everybody. It was Bahamians, Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans, Americans. Everybody was so supportive. The young people, it was old people….”

Now with the flames extinguished, the focus has shifted to rebuilding.

All affected have been provided with temporary shelter, and a GoFundMe link has been created to help return some normalcy.