The burnt-out room at the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre in St Ann where five wards were killed on May 22. Two wards subsequently died as a result of their injuries. - Contributed

A ward yesterday told the commission of enquiry that she saw girls with what appeared to be matches on the day of the May 22 inferno that left seven of her peers dead at the Armadale Juvenile Correction Centre in St Ann.

The ward said that after supper, on the day of the fire, she saw the girls go to the kitchen then return with what looked like matches. She heard them speak about starting a fire to get out of the institution.

"'If it light, dem a go come free we up and we can cut and go where we haffi go'," she related.

The ward said she heard of escape plans but was not asked to join in. She said that she saw the girls with two screwdrivers and a piece of iron, which they used to brace the grilles on the window, while using the screwdrivers to dig them off.

Escape

The ward also told the enquiry that the girls worked on the grilles in the morning, during lunch and after supper.

She also talked about the living conditions that they had had to endure. She said that while on lockdown, they were not allowed to use utensils to have breakfast, lunch or supper, much to the surprise of those observing the day's proceedings, as evidenced by the whispers heard among them.

"When we are on lockdown, we jus' eat wid we hands," she said. "You only get forks in the dining room."

A former ward, who was also at Armadale on the night of the fire, was the third to break down in tears at the enquiry, causing a premature break. On Day 14, the girl walked away from the stand, tears streaming down her face, after being quizzed about the events leading up to the incident.

When the enquiry resumed, retired Justice Paul Harrison, commissioner of the enquiry, told the girl that if anyone had told her what to say, she should tell him. Harrison said he did not want anyone tampering with the witnesses. He said something had happened last week, but he did not know what that was. Last Friday, a ward who had been outspoken at the proceedings the day before was uncooperative and declined to answer questions, prompting lawyers and observers to raise eyebrows at her changed demeanor.

Admitted to hospital

The girl, who is asthmatic, said she had been in hospital up to June 1. She gave a vivid account of what had taken place.

"I felt like I was dying," she said, as she described her feelings after the round, army-green object had been thrown into the dorm where she was.

The former ward also said she had received several burns in the fire.

"I got burns on my foot, mi two foot bottom and mi back," she said, "And right on my face."

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com