Eighteen persons, including several children, are now homeless after a fire destroyed their home on Sunday evening.
The blaze started just before 19:00h at Lot 8 Bamboo Drive, Meadow Brook, Georgetown. Guyana Times understands that four different families were living in three separate apartments in the building.
Barbara Reid along with her husband, son and several grandchildren lived in one of the apartments. She told this newspaper that she was at her business a short distance from the house when she was alerted about the fire and rushed home.
The building up in flames
Her daughter, who does not live there but arrived on the scene after being informed about the blaze, related that she told the fire was allegedly set by her sister-in-law.
“According to what I hear, my sister-in-law set the fire and gone… I don’t know the full details but she took the children and left Friday… She came back today (without the kids) and she just not too long left before the fire start,” the woman explained.
Meanwhile, 67-year-old Ameena Kyume resided in another one of the apartments with her two grandchildren and her son in law. She was in her bed when one of the kids alerted her about the fire.
A section of the building in the aftermath of the fire
“I was in bed lying down with my two grandchildren and the four-year-old boy said, ‘Granny, fire!’… And then I looked at the bedroom [curtain] but didn’t see anything but I was smelling smoke. So, I got up and look out and see the big flames and I started to shout for fire,” the elderly woman recalled.
According to Kyume, Mr Reid, from the neighbouring apartment, went to their rescue and got her along with her grandchildren out of the house. She could not say how the blaze started.
“I don’t know anything. I just know Mr Reid – I think he and his wife own the house – took me and the kids out. I’m just thankful that he saved us, we’re saved but lost everything,” the emotional pensioner lamented.
Based on information reaching this publication, there were no injuries.
