Mentally ill man sets house on fire.

Jul 07, 2020 News

A 22-year-old man, reportedly of unsound mind, is now in police custody for setting a two-storey wooden and concrete house on fire last Sunday at Second Alley, Wismar, Linden.

The remains of the home that was allegedly set on fire at Second Alley, Wismar, Linden

The building was allegedly set on fire at 22:30 hrs while the suspect and his mother, 39-year-old Jenelle Smith were at home. According to reports, the young man had a mental break down earlier that day which led him to commit the act.

Luckily Smith became aware of the fire before it spiraled out of control and managed to escape the blaze unhurt along with the suspect. Contact was immediately made with the Fire Station in Mckenzie but by time fire fighters could have arrived, the house was completely gutted and partially destroyed.

Residents said that the fire trucks could not make it in time to save the home because of the distance and the bridge, which separates Wismar from Mckenzie. They detailed that this has been the case on numerous occasions where fires have destroyed homes and even claimed lives in other densely populated areas of Linden.

Lindeners who Kaieteur News spoke to are calling on the relevant authorities to address this situation urgently.