Firemen called to save burning house accused of stealing cash, other items

A Lot 520 North-East La Penitence, Georgetown family is counting their losses after a fire which started in the upper flat of their house Thursday morning destroyed most of their belongings.

However, the family was thrown into further despair after they discovered that US$200, an electronic tablet and other items were stolen, allegedly by the firemen.

Rufina Leitch, who resided with her two sons, her mother and brother in the bottom flat of the wooden and concrete building, told the News Room that she returned late from the Giftland Mall where she works and placed her bag in her wardrobe with money before going to bed.

But after the fire, the bag and other items were nowhere to be found.

“I don’t sleep with clothes so when the fire started, all I had to do is open th

e wardrobe, get a towel and the wardrobe leave open. When everything done and I go back in, my wardrobe locked.

“When I go to it, my money gone, my son tablet gone, the firestick gone and I don’t know what else gone because I can’t get to go through to see what and what gone.”

“The firefighters, they come to help people in need and when you go back in, some of your stuff missing,” the distraught woman said.

The fire started in the upper flat of the building where the owners of the house – two women in their 60s – were preparing to travel overseas after vacationing here for the past week.

Leitch told the News Room that at around 03:00hrs she heard noises in the upper flat and first thought it was a robbery but then she heard the women screaming for help and so she contacted 911.

“We hear this big tumbling upstairs and we just hear help! help! So mommy called upstairs for them and we get no answer so we thought was thief how they was scrambling and so I called 911…but then I hear my neighbour hollering for ‘Fire!’ ‘Fire!’ and by the time we come to the door and we look up, that was it, everything in flames,” Leitch said.

The fire tenders arrived at the scene and rescued the elderly women from the burning building through a window.

The News Room was informed that a lit candle may have started the fire. The two women are being treated at a city hospital for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.

Leitch and her family will be staying with one of her sisters until she can find another home.