Millions in losses as house destroyed by fire, arson suspected

A family of Wellington Park, East Berbice Corentyne is calling on police to investigate a fire which left them with millions of dollars in losses on Saturday night.

Chadradat Moonsamy told Newsroom that around 9pm he informed alerted that his sister’s property was on fire; he alerted the fire service and upon arrival at the scene, he observed a flame inside the heavily grilled one storey concrete building.

“When me reach, the inside ah the building a blaze so me and a friend break the grill and kick down the side door cause nobody nah deh home but when the door open the smoke too thick and the heat too much,” Moonsamy said.

By this time, other villagers gathered and started a bucket brigade and managed to soak the outer part of the building and as such, the fire was contained until the fire service arrived.

Moonsamy believes that someone set the property alight given the fact that a window at the back of the house was broken and the grill is missing.

He told News Room that the building was doused with kerosene; he is of the view that the fire started in the living room since that area suffered the most damage.

He estimated the loss to be in the millions since the house was fully furnished and had a large quantity of foodstuff that his sister – Shanta Moonsamy – had sent from overseas.

Moonsamy is not satisfied with the police response.

“The police car come last night and them turn back, them nah come back since then, now after lunch and them nah come investigate who set the place on fire,” he said.

The house was being cared for by Latchmie Madramootoo and her husband, who usually sleeps there, however, Latchmie told News Room that she last stayed on Tuesday and recalled turning off the electricity.