A mid-morning fire at D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) has left six persons homeless and contemplating their way forward.
The fire reportedly started sometime before 11:00h and the three-bedroom building was totally destroyed, with slight damage to a next-door business place.
At the time of the blaze, no one was at home and according to the owner, Rawle Thomas, who is a butcher and farmer, the house was occupied by him, his partner, three children and his mother.
He told this publication that he quickly drove home and when he arrived the building was already engulfed.
Thomas said that he left home at 6:00h for the farm and his partner subsequently left to visit her mother with the children while his mother was also out.
Thomas said he was told that when smoke was seen coming from the building workers from the next door construction site which houses a supermarket went over but were unable to access water and to get into the burning building.
Meanwhile, this publication understands that one unit from the Onverwagt Fire Station responded and was able to contain the blaze.
When the firefighters arrived, the fire had already caused some damage to a nearby medical facility. Meanwhile, Thomas said many important documents were destroyed in the blaze, and they were unable to save anything.
“My passport with my visa and other important documents for other family members were all in the house,” he said.
He is hoping for the full assistance from all agencies he will have to visit in order to get copies of those documents.
Persons desirous of helping Thomas and his family as they navigate this devastation are asked to contact them at telephone number 648-4899.
