Linden house destroyed by fire; wife claims ‘forgetful’ husband left incense burning

A house located at Moraballi Street, MacKenzie, Linden was destroyed by fire on Monday.

While the Guyana Fire Service is yet to determine the cause of the fire, the homeowner, 36-year-old Joyann Semple who works as a security guard believes it could be a result of the incense her husband left burning in a bedroom moments before he left the mining town for a trip to Georgetown.

A statement from Police Headquarters noted that the woman resides with her reputed husband, 61-year-old Malcolm Archer in the two-storey wooden and concrete structure.

The woman reportedly told police ranks that her reputed husband sells incense and would usually light it around the house.

Semple said she warned him repeatedly about the unsafe practice “because of his forgetfulness.”

However, at about 05:31 hours on Monday, Archer lit an incense stick and placed it on a wall inside a bedroom and traveled to Georgetown.

At 06:30 hours, the woman left home for work, unaware that her husband had lit the incense in the house.

Semple immediately rushed home where she observed thick black smoke emanating from inside of her home.

The Linden Fire Service responded and extinguished the fire but it had already completely destroyed the inside of the upper flat of the building.

Police said several persons were questioned in the area but no useful information was received and no CCTV footage could be located.