A Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara family managed to escape unharmed, but with just the clothes on their backs, after a fire engulfed their property and burnt everything to the ground.
“They [Fire Service] didn’t take long to come, but… them couldn’t save anything cause in just a blink everything went flat,” Kaloutie Samaroo, one of the persons who lived in the house told the News Room.
When the News Room visited the scene Thursday morning, 68-year-old Omrow Deopaul was sitting helpless on his bridge and watching the remains of his house.
The former estate worker had been living at 4th Street, Mon Repos for almost 50 years. Mr Deopaul, who said he suffers from kidney problems and high blood pressure, lost all of his important documents including his ID card, NIS card and pension book.
The fire, which started about 22:30h Wednesday, completely destroyed the two-storey wooden house and damaged the side of a neighbour’s house. Mr Deopaul’s daughter Kaloutie Samaroo, along with his son Omrow Deopaul Jnr and his 7-year-old great-grand-son all lived at the house.
Mr Deopaul lived in the upper flat with Samaroo and the 7-year-old, while his son lived in the lower flat. Mr Deopaul was sleeping with his great-grand-son when his son alerted him that smoke was emanating from the the house.
Samaroo told the News Room that she believes the source of the fire was electrical. She explained that the yard is used as passageway for residents and they had placed a light for persons to see when passing through at nights. She said that the light was sparking for about a week.
“We put on a light at the side for them to see when they walk and that is where I assume that the fire start from; it was giving a little problem and I was telling my father it got to change,” Samaroo said.
One music set, a dining set, two televisions sets, two gas stoves, a fridge, four beds and other household items were all destroyed in the fire.
“Plenty persons come and throw water but nothing could not save.
“Right now we have nowhere to stay; we don’t have a bed we don’t have nothing everything was burn flat,” Samaroo said.
The Guyana Fire Service managed to save the house next door from burning, but the glass windows on the side were already shattered and a black water tank had melted.
Anyone willing to assist the family at this time can contact +592 220 6922.
