Three persons are now homeless after a fire destroyed their Manchester village, Corentyne, Berbice home on Tuesday night. Some villagers are claiming that the blaze was as a result of supernatural means.
The fire occurred at about 21:00h. Villagers say what appeared to be two balls of
Homeless: Neho Hunt
fire were seen in the air and fell on the house. “Is like fire bun… is obeah,” one villager related.
The blaze flattened the Lot 21 School Street, Manchester Village wooden structure.
Neho Hunte, also called “Cussum” was not at home at the time of the blaze. According to the 29-year-old man, he was spending the night at the home of a friend and had just arrived when he was alerted of the fire. His reputed wife, Alicia, and his son had gone to his mother-in-law for the child’s first birthday.
One eyewitness, Aqilyma Simpson – who is a Hunte’s cousin – said it took about 10 minutes for the building to be reduced to ashes.
“Last night I came from church and was watching television and then we heard like glass breaking and we watched out and the whole building was engulfed in flames.
The building was reduced to rubble within 10 minutes
When we ran out nobody couldn’t do anything. We couldn’t throw water because the whole thing was in flames and then we called the fire service and the Police and they came, but by then the building had crumbled,” she related. Reports indicate the Fire Service arrived approximately 10 minutes after the fire was initially seen but by the time they arrived, the building had already been reduced to rubble.
Meanwhile, Hunte refuted claims that there was a lighted candle in the house when the blaze started. The man said he left home to feed his pigs and never returned to the building.
According to him, after having a bath he left for his friend’s home. He is adamant that he did not light a fire in the house. The man said he was at his friend’s home when Simpson telephoned to say the house was on fire.
When they arrived at the house, which is roughly 400 metres away, the building was already destroyed.
Hunte has been living in the house for almost two years since returning to the place of his birth in 2015. He makes a living by rearing pigs and making pointer brooms which he sells. The man is appealing to the public for assistance. He can be contacted on telephone number 660-1403. (Andrew Carmichael)
