Latest update May 10th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 17, 2009 News
A mysterious mid-morning fire completely destroyed a wooden house on George Street, Werk-en-Rust. The quick response of the Guyana Fire Service spared several persons from a nearby residence from being added to the list of the homeless.
But the residents of the damaged house are furious at the occupant of the burnt-out property who they blame for causing the fire which started at about 11:20 hours.
According to reports, smoke was seen coming from the wooden house which was unoccupied at the time.
By the time the fire tender was summoned, the blaze had engulfed the house and had already caught on to the recently renovated property on the northern side.
However, tenders from the Guyana Fire Service arrived in the nick of time and quickly went into action.
After dousing the structure under threat, the firefighters, with the assistance of several public-spirited persons, began concentrating on the burning building.
Shauna Alder, one of the occupants of bottom flat of the saved building, told the media that she was watching television when the household was alerted to the fire next door.
“Is old wood and old clothes deh over deh. Me ain’t know if is de light catch or what, but something catch,” Alder said.
She recounted that the occupant of the burnt-out house was seen running in and out of his yard shortly before the fire.
“He does thief light. He got a set of hook-up wire and old wood, so that is wha must be cause de fire,” Alder added.
Alder told the media that she and other occupants who shared the property managed to remove some household items, but those that they could not sustained water damage.
Gordon Harris, who occupies the upper flat, said that he was cooking when he smelt something burning and upon looking through the window he saw smoke coming from his neighbours’ wooden house.
He said that all he could have done was to contact the Guyana Fire Service and attempt to save some household articles.
However, since the fire had already caught the side of his apartment, thick smoke engulfed the living room frustrating his efforts.
According to Harris, on several occasions reports were made to the relevant authority highlighting the threat that the wooden building and its occupant posed to the safety of the surroundings.
“We report this thing too many times. Is two junkies living over deh and dey does smoke in deh. We spoke to the fire people; all ah dem… and nobody did nothing. Thankfully the house save and I still got a roof over me head,” a relieved Harris said.
But Sean Stephenson, who was occupying the burnt-out wooden building, told the media that he is not responsible for the blaze, even blaming the occupants of the damaged building next door.
“I don’t thief current; me ain’t got no current in deh,” Stephenson said.
According to Stephenson, he was at work a few corners away when he heard that the house left for him by his elderly grandmother was on fire.
He said that he rushed to the scene and tried to get into the building to save some personal belongings but had to retreat because of the smoke and heat.
“I was not there; I was at work when I hear that the house deh pon fire. When I run in de house all me hand bun up…De smoke had me bad and I had to run out,” Stephenson said.
His comments angered his neighbours who attempted to violently confront him but were prevented from doing so by police ranks on the scene.
But even as the blame game was being played, everyone was loud in praise for the members of the Guyana Fire Service.
“They did a great job,” Gordon Harris said.
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