Canje apartment building goes up in flames, arson suspected

A 29-year-old taxi driver is in a state of distress and disarray after the house he was renting went up in flames on Sunday night, destroying everything he owned and leaving him with about $2 million in losses.

Felix Wilson told the News Room that he returned to his Lot 2 B East Canje two-storey wooden house at around 19:30hrs to find it engulfed in flames and he is convinced it is an act of arson.

The building had three apartments – one upstairs (where Wilson lived) and two in the lower flat.

However, at the time of the fire, Wilson was the only tenant at the time. The entire building has since been destroyed.

Wilson believes the fire stemmed from an incident that took place three days ago when all of his clothing was stolen from the line and a shirt was set on fire at the back of the yard.

“About three days ago somebody come and thief all my clothes on the line and take a jersey, light it on fire and throw it at the back.”

Since that incident, Wilson said he has been returning home early and paying more attention to his surroundings “but like somebody was watching me and do it before I reach home.”

On Sunday, he was at the car wash after a tiring day of work when he received a telephone call about the fire.

“Then I rush out and by the time I reach here, my house was already on the ground”, Wilson said.

He added that based on information provided to him, an unidentifiable individual splattered gasoline around the house and set it ablaze.

Wilson is now baffled as to who would want to target him since he doesn’t recall having issues with anyone for the twelve years he has been living there.