By Sharda Bacchus
About two months before a fire destroyed a Charlestown, Georgetown three-storey building, the owner spent $10 million to renovate the structure where she lived for more than 40 years and raised her seven children.
“Before the fire, I done spend a lot of money. I took money from the bank and I did some renovation…The rest of the money, after I had to leave it in the house, all burn up in the fire. I save nothing,” Hazel Alves told the News Room on Monday.
She added, “I had already spend like over 10 million dollars because I did do moulding windows all around the building and different things.”
The fire occurred at around 18:00 hrs on October 4. Hazel, her husband, her 97-year-old mother, two of her seven children and seven grandchildren are among those who lived at the Lot 33 Howes and Lyng Street house. None of their belongings were saved.
Since the fire, the family has been separated as they are seeking temporary shelter at the house of relatives and neighbours. The building was insured and Hazel told the News Room that she has plans to rebuild.
“I rebuilding; I just want got the faith cause [my blood] pressure was going up and down. I don’t want to think about it,” Hazel said.
One of Hazel’s sons, Keitzel Bazilio sustained burns to his back and hands after he rushed into the burning building to save his four-year-old son whom he thought was trapped inside.
“Whilst running in back, I get trap in the room and I had to jump through the window and I fall out but I still end up making it out safe because it got a living God and God is great and good,” Bazilio said.
Bazilio told the News Room that he is unsure about his next move.
“Since this incident happen, I never like get no good rest. I does just be here all the time, I does just go bathe, come back and be here all the time. Day and night…I still trying to think because remember is a lot of things we lost. Everything was burn down to the ground,” he lamented.
An investigation by the Guyana Fire Service found that faulty electrical connection caused the overheating of electrical wires resulting in the fire.
Hazel’s daughter, Odessa Alves told the News Room that the fire started in one of the bedrooms in the top flat of the building.
“The smoke was coming out of the middle bedroom. When I go I see the point, it start sparking. By time I throw the bucket of water, it rage up and the smoke hit me back on the ground,” she said.
According to her, two days before the fire, a fluctuation of electricity damaged a fridge and a TV.
The family said they are satisfied with the support they have received from the government.
According to Odessa, President Dr Irfaan Ali has since offered her husband, Gregory Richardson, who is a former national footballer, a turn-key house at Diamond, East Bank Demerara and they will be moving in soon.
