Six homeless after Canje fire

A fire, the cause of which is yet to be determined, has rendered six individuals homeless after it engulfed their residence on Tuesday afternoon.

In an interview with reporters, Imran Khan, of Lot 61 East Canefield, East Canje Berbice, disclosed that he lived in the three-bedroom wooden and concrete house with his wife and their four children, aged 8, 11, 16, and 20.

Khan explained that he left the house around 2:30 PM to pick up his wife from work at the Rose Hall Sugar Estate, where he also works, taking his 8- and 11-year-old children with him. After picking up his wife, the family proceeded to the Corentyne to buy a phone.

Meanwhile, Khan’s older children, aged 16 and 20, remained at home. They were on the lower flat of the house when they noticed smoke coming from the upper level and then saw flames.

Khan said that his two children contacted him while he was at Nigg Village and, upon hearing the tragic news, they rushed back home.

“When I come home, I done see the whole building deh right down at the bottom… everything just deh on the ground, everything burn up,” he said.

Firefighters from the New Amsterdam Fire Station were alerted and promptly responded to the emergency.

Khan stated that the fire destroyed all of their possessions.

“I can’t really assess the losses, but it is a lot of investment,” he said, expressing sorrow over losing everything in the incident.

“The house never really had an electrical problem,” Khan noted.

He mentioned that his family is open to any assistance. Those who wish to help can reach out at 679-5544 or 604-2738.