Two persons are now homeless after a late afternoon fire on Tuesday destroyed a 19th century wooden building in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
The building on fire on Tuesday
Forty-three-year-old Anthony Giddings was at home alone when the fire started at the Lot 14-33 Pitt Street, New Amsterdam home.
Giddings lived in the building with his reputed wife.
Based on information gathered, the smoke was seen billowing from the upper flat of the building and an alarm was raised. However, at the time, Giddings, who is an alleged drug addict, was seen running away from the burning building.
He told investigators, “I don’t know how the fire started.”
The young man, who had been convicted for possession of narcotics and who is unemployed, lived at the wooden building, which was built out of pinewood and other local lumber, with his wife who recently gave birth.
Giddings has also been convicted of other crimes.
Meanwhile, two units from the New Amsterdam Fire Service arrived at the scene and with the help of public-spirited citizens, were able to put out the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.
Pitt Street is the heart of the shopping area in the country’s oldest town; New Amsterdam.
The owner of the building, Mazie James, is now diseased and the building was left unoccupied for more than two years before Giddings took up residency.
At the time of the fire on Tuesday, there was no electricity to the building. An investigation has been launched by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service.
