Fire guts home of Corentyne fisherman

…initial investigations reveal fire set with malicious intent

A fisherman has been rendered homeless after his two-storey house at Whim Village on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was destroyed by fire on Friday morning.
The fire occurred at about 8:00h on Friday at the 12th Street Whim Village, Corentyne, home.
Permaul Punsammi called “Leon,” a 54-year-old fisherman who had been living at the property alone since 2002, was not at home when the blaze started.
The fisherman said he left home at about 6:30h and went to the Number 66 Village, where he boarded a boat for sea.
“One of me niece call me and tell me that fire deh pon mi house, so me tell am to make sure. The gal call me back an’ tell me turn back an’ come. She say leh me na go in a boat. When me come, the house done bun down,” the fisherman said.
Punsammi noted that one unit from the Fire Department was present, and at the time of his arrival on the scene, firefighters were dousing a few flames at the back of the building.

The property is owned by a friend of the fisherman called “Rohit,” who lives in the United States (US).
Punsammi said the building was not connected to the power grid, and he was sure he did not leave the stove on.
He explained that a pre-paid meter was connected to the building but the device to take the electricity to the house was not in place.
“I had to get the electrician boy to put it on but I did do it yet. So, the current deh up to the meter, it na deh on the house and me na bin light stove – me na do nothing,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, Divisional Fire Officer Clive McDonald says initial investigations have revealed that the fire was set with malicious intent.
According to police reports, one fire tender from the Rose Hall Town Fire Station responded to the blaze.
Only earlier this week, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) received its fifth firefighting pickup truck, which was expected to be stationed at the Whim-Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to serve seven villages, including Whim, Letter Kenny and Auchlyne.