A ward who testified at the commission of enquiry into the Armadale fire on Thursday exhibited a completely different side when she continued her testimony yesterday.

The 15-year-old who was fiery and outspoken when she first took the stand appeared subdued when she gave evidence on day 13 of the enquiry at the Council of Voluntary Social Services in Kingston, and declined to answer some questions.

The ward, who testified with tears flowing along her cheeks, told Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, the attorney representing the Office of the Children's Advocate, that no one said anything to her about the evidence that she had given the day before. Samuels-Brown was patient with her and told her to say whether or not she wanted to answer a question.

"If it's a question that you do not feel comfortable to answer, tell me you don't feel comfortable," she said.

The girl was quiet, and Samuels-Brown requested a break to speak to her. When the enquiry resumed, the ward said there was no search of the office dorm since she was moved there on May 7 when she was brought back to the facility after she absconded.

She said a ward had a piece of iron in the dorm, and she saw girls with screwdrivers a day before the building was gutted by fire, which killed seven of their peers.

Two mattresses, no furniture

These items, she said, would have been confiscated if there was a search.

Upon her return to the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre, the ward said she was locked in a room for a number of days with the six other girls who had escaped with her. She told the enquiry that they were given two mattresses to sleep on, and no other furniture was in the room.

Additionally, the teenager said gangs were in the cottage dorm where she lived before she ran away, but did not know of any on the office dorm. However, she admitted that there were wards on the office dorm who were like leaders and gave orders which others were expected to obey.

She said she found it hard to live under those conditions. When quizzed about whether she complained to staff about these issues, she said, "Di officer dem know."

Meanwhile, Samuels-Brown requested blanket immunity from the director of public prosecutions for the wards in case they give incriminating evidence against themselves.

However, Retired Court of Appeal Judge Justice Paul Harrison, commissioner of the enquiry, said that step would be premature at this point.

The enquiry resumes on Monday when other wards are scheduled to testify.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com