8 homeless after fire destroys Onderneeming home

…wheelchair-bound barber in custody for arson

A fire destroyed a house in the Onderneeming Sand Pit community, Red Village, on Tuesday evening, leaving eight persons homeless. The blaze, which consumed the wooden structure within minutes, occurred between 20:00h and 20:10h. No injuries were reported.
The displaced household includes four school-aged children. Following the incident, the Difficult Circumstances Unit of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security conducted a site assessment to determine the immediate needs of the affected family. The children are currently staying with friends, while the family seeks temporary shelter.

Police investigations revealed that the fire was deliberately set by a 36-year-old barber, who is currently confined to a wheelchair. The suspect, who previously had a relationship with the mother of the household, 40-year-old cook Romona Baychu, allegedly admitted to lighting a mattress on fire at the residence, claiming, “The house is my property.”
According to Baychu, the relationship ended several months ago, and the suspect had been living in a barbershop roughly 50 feet from the home. On Tuesday afternoon, a disagreement occurred between the two, during which the suspect allegedly struck Baychu and demanded she leave his house. Baychu left for a friend’s home, leaving her children and grandchild at the house.
A witness stated that the children were at home when the suspect arrived, ordered them to leave, and subsequently set the mattress on fire before leaving the scene by crawling down the stairs. The Guyana Fire Service was called to extinguish the flames, but the home was completely destroyed.
He was subsequently arrested and remains in custody, assisting with investigations.