6 homeless as Mabaruma house goes up in flames

A family of six has literally been left without a roof over their heads after a fire, which was reportedly started by a stove left unattended in the house, completely destroyed their two-storey wooden home on Saturday morning.
This home was situated in the Mabaruma Settlement at Barima Waini in the North West District, and the fire began at around 11:00hrs, when the family was not at home at the time.
The Guyana Times was informed that the owner of the house, 51-year-old Rocky Campbell, had left to visit his farm, located some distance away from the house.
His wife, Elaine Sam, had reportedly cooked him a meal and had left the house to take the food to the farm. Before leaving, she had sent her four children to fetch water.
Upon the children’s return, they were confronted by thick smoke emanating from the upper flat of the house, which was already engulfed in flames. An alarm was raised, and public-spirited persons formed a bucket brigade that managed to douse the flames. However, the family estimates losses close to a million dollars.
The fire is suspected to have been started from a gas stove which was reportedly left on by Mrs Sam.