19 rendered homeless within 24hrs by fires

By Leroy Smith

A total of nineteen persons were left homeless in the city as a result of fires within the past 24 hours. which were started by an unattended candle and an unsupervised eight years old respectively.

At approximately 18:10hrs on Wednesday (February 15, 2017), Gloria Bharrat left a candle lit in her lot 32, Princes Street, Georgetown wooden house as she went in search of potable water. Her home has been without water and electricity for several years.

After she was finished securing her water from an incinerator in the area, she used the opportunity to engage in a discussion with her friend and it was during that period that the candle reportedly melted and started a fire.

This resulted in her home and everything within being completely destroyed along with the home of her neighbour, Simone Maurice.

This is not the first time that a fire was started at the home of the woman since some years ago another unattended candle on a barrel, led to a fire, however, that was contained.

While seven persons lived in Bharrat’s home, Maurice’s home had six persons living there inclusive of a young child who is preparing to sit National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) in two months and his sister, a second year University of Guyana student who works with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). Both of them lost their textbooks and other school materials in the process.

However, Maurice related that “The school my son attends, they say the gonna help out because all of my son textbook is gone because everything is gone for him and he is writing common entrance in April.”

Meanwhile, in South Ruimveldt another fire erupted this afternoon (Thursday, February 16, 2017) and rendered six persons homeless including a pensioner and three children.

The fire Department is investigating the claim that the fire might have started by an unsupervised eight-year-old who was in the upper flat of the house while his grandmother was in the bottom flat.

The Thursday afternoon fire saw the scorching of at least two other houses. The fire department was commended for a fast response which contained the fire and also prevented complete destruction.

News Room has been unable to confirm if any of the homes destroyed by the fires were insured.