Corentyne family homeless following fire

The police in Berbice are hunting for a Tain Corentyne man who is accused of setting a house on fire, leaving a family of five homeless on Wednesday, September 13, 2017.

News Room understands that the fire, which completely destroyed the one room house, began just after midday while no one was at home. However, News Room was reliably informed that a friend of the family, who also lives in the area, was seen leaving the yard when the fire started.

Mochan Ragubir, 34, who has been living in the house with his three children and wife for almost six years, disclosed that he was at work when he received the message that his home was on fire. His wife had left to drop off lunch for their children at school.

Ragubir disclosed that while he is not sure what caused the fire, he was informed that a man, with whom he was once friends with in the area, was seen leaving the building at the time smoke was observed emanating from the small structure.

“My back neighbour ride come and call me and tell me that my house is on fire and that was about 1:30 (pm) so I ask he how the house on fire and he ask if I left anything lighting and I tell him no because we ain’t have stove; we using a fire side, we ain’t get lamp, we got a rechargeable lamp,” the distraught man said.

He recounted that the day before the incident, a male in the area attempted to break into his house and this prompted him to purchase a new lock.

“So like he come yesterday and when the fire start and the smoke start coming out from the house, my neighbour said they see him walking down my step coming out the yard.”

The family has since been forced to relocate to their shack nearby until they are able to rebuild another home. Anyone who is willing to render any assistance to the family are asked to make contact with Mochan Ragubir on telephone number 669-9377.