Twelve persons are now homeless after a fire destroyed an apartment building at Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, on Monday evening.
Based on information received, the fire started at about 20:55h. As a result, the Guyana Fire Service responded with water tenders from the Central Fire Station, West Ruimveldt and Alberttown Fire Stations.
The fire that destroyed the building at Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown
The structure involved was a two-storey wooden apartment building owned by 74-year-old Jone Bowman who, along with three others, occupied the top floor. The bottom floor, which consisted of two apartments, was occupied by eight persons.
The fire was purportedly caused by a lit candle that was left unattended which fell and ignited nearby combustible materials.
As a result of the fire, the entire building and its contents were destroyed, leaving twelve persons homeless.
When Guyana Times visited the scene on Friday, a woman who was nearby when the fire ignited, said that she was inside her shop when she saw a bright light coming from the area.
As persons rushed to the scene to render assistance, she discovered that a 6-year-old girl was left sleeping in one of the apartments. After some time, persons managed to get the child out.
She said the apartments were rented by Brazilians or Venezuelan nationals. No injuries were reported.
This is the second fire in less than two weeks that occurred in Georgetown. The first fire ripped through a bond at the Laparkan Shipping Complex in Georgetown, causing millions of dollars’ worth of items to go up in flames. After an investigation into the fire was wrapped up it was concluded that the inferno was an act of arson.
The structure involved was a two-storey wooden apartment building owned by 74-year-old Jone Bowman who, along with three others, occupied the top floor. The bottom floor, which consisted of two apartments, was occupied by eight persons.
