A 76-year-old visually impaired retiree, Johnson Philmore of John Gully Trace, narrowly escaped a house fire Sunday night after a domestic argument reportedly escalated into a blaze that left his stepson seriously injured.

Philmore told police he was lying in bed around 11:30 p.m., when his stepson, Michael Martinez, returned from the Mt. St. George harvest and gave him a bowl of food. Shortly afterward, an argument broke out between Michael and another relative. During the altercation, Philmore heard Michael exclaim, “boy yuh cut mi boy yuh cut mi boy,” and soon detected the smell of gas.

Recognising the danger, Philmore managed to escape the house safely via the back door. One relative reportedly sustained third-degree burns over his body and was transported to Roxborough Hospital by ambulance.