Pensioner, bedridden daughter perish in WBD fire

A 75-year-old woman and her bedridden daughter lost their lives on Friday after an early morning fire destroyed their house at Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Dead are Felis Smith and her 44-year-old daughter, Ventina Smith.

Reports are that the fire started at around 05:00 hrs at a one-storey wooden structure situated at Plantation #2 Westminster, WBD.

Two of Felis’ other children and her granddaughter also lived in the house. They managed to escape unharmed.

The News Room understands that the women who perished occupied a bedroom at the back of the house.

Felis’ daughter, Chandine Sookraj related to investigators that around 21:30 hrs Thursday, she retired to bed leaving everything intact.

The next morning, however,r Sookraj said she was awakened by the heat emanating from her mother’s bedroom.

Upon checking, she observed a section of the bedroom was already engulfed in flames.

As a result, she immediately grabbed her daughter and exited into the yard.

Sookraj alerted neighbours, who summoned the Guyana Fire Service.

Upon arrival, firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze. However, the structure was destroyed.

The scene was processed and the two bodies, which were burnt beyond recognition, were found among the debris.

The bodies were escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Their remains are presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem examinations.