Siparia Woman’s Home Torched by Boyfriend, Perpetrator At Large

On a quiet Saturday night in Siparia, a woman and her teenage daughter narrowly missed a fatal fate when her boyfriend, Salim James, allegedly assaulted her, threatened to torch their home, and then followed through with his threat. The incident, which occurred around 9:45 p.m. on August 9, began when James arrived at the home where his girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter lived on Gamble Street Extension. Fearful for their lives, the woman and her daughter fled their home, only to return in a futile attempt to extinguish the rapidly spreading fire. The woman suffered burns to her back and shoulder, but managed to escape through nearby bushes and reach the Siparia District Health Facility for treatment. The house was completely consumed by the fire. Despite the efforts of the police and fire officials, James remains at large and investigations are ongoing.