At least 10 persons have been rendered homeless after a fire of unknown origin destroyed a two-storey house at Lot 51 Guava Bush, Albion, Berbice, (Region Six: East Berbice-Corentyne) in the wee hours of Friday.
Members of the two families who had lived in the building – altogether a total of 10 persons – have reportedly lost everything in the fire,
which commenced at just after midnight on Thursday.
Devindra Punwasi, a 32-year-old cane harvester attached to the Albion Sugar Estate, had been occupying the lower flat of the building with his pregnant wife and their two children, aged three and one. The upper flat had been occupied by Shavanie Rakesk with her husband and their four children. They say the fire started shortly after midnight.
Rakesk said she and her family were visiting her father, about 10 houses away, when she learnt that her house was on fire. “Me hustle come, and when me reach, me…see one big fire on the house!” the woman said.
Punwasi said he was at home with his family when he started to smell smoke, and upon inspecting, found that the house was on fire. “Me smell something ah burn! Me get up, me see fire in the house; me hustle run out fuh save meh wife and children. Me come out and me holler fuh the neighbour!” the cane harvester related.
Firefighters from the Rose Hall Town Fire Station responded and were eventually able to put out the blaze.
Neither family was able to save anything from the fire.
“Everything burn up in me house! Me nah get nothing! Just this pants and shirt meh get! Me and me wife and pickney, nothing we nah get!” a tearful Punwasi has said.
“Me nah get nothing! All thing burn up in ah house! Nothing we nah get!” Shavanie lamented.
These two families are seeking the public’s assistance at this time of need. They can be contacted on telephone numbers (592) 673-2462; (592) 628-3203, or (592) 673-2536. (G4)
