An elderly man, who was said to be in his 90s, succumbed to his injuries after sustaining severe burns about his body on Wednesday when his Sixth Street, Bartica house went up in flames.
The man was identified as Albert Hopkinson of Sixth Street, and Third Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
At the time of the blaze, Guyana Times understands that the elderly man and his daughter were in the house. The daughter managed to escape with minor injuries, but her father – who was said to be bedridden – suffered serious burns.
He was taken to the Bartica Hospital, where he was treated for burns about 75 per cent of his body before being air-dashed to Georgetown for further medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) Bartica branch was prompt in responding to the blaze. The firemen successfully doused the fire and prevented it from spreading to nearby structures. The building destroyed is known to locals as the “Old Hopkinson House”, which previously housed a popular taxi service.
Up to press time, the GFS had not released any details about the inferno.
