The fire service is explaining why tenders were slow in their response to the fire in Arima, which claimed the lives of minister Lisa Morris-Julian and two of her children.

The fire service has issued a statement saying the tenders at the Arima and Tunapuna stations were on other trouble calls at the time of yesterday’s blaze, on Farfan Street Arima.

Some have criticized the fire service for what was seen by some as a slow response, when the station is a stone’s throw away from the Julian’s home.

The fire service also complained that there were water problems in the area.

Former Mayor of Arima and a close friend of the Morris Julian family, Ashton Forde were at the scene of the deadly blaze yesterday.

He expressed his concern about the response time of the fire service, at the scene.