Andyville man displaced after Linden early morning fire
A 39-year-old Linden resident is now homeless after an early morning fire on Saturday destroyed his home at Andyville, Wismar.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) in a release said it received the distress call at approximately 5:20h on Saturday, and firefighters arrived at the scene nine minutes later.
The fire that destroyed the house in Andyville, Wismar, Linden
Despite prompt response and efforts led by Section Leader Yaw and a team of five firefighters aboard Water Carriers 12 and 19, the small, single-story wooden and concrete structure was completely gutted.
The house was owned and occupied by Keon Parks, who lost all his belongings in the blaze and is now seeking shelter and assistance.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by an unattended, lit mosquito coil, which ignited nearby combustible materials.
“The Guyana Fire Service urges residents to exercise caution when using mosquito coils or any open flames, ensuring they are never left unattended and are kept away from flammable items,” the statement read.
This latest fire comes not long after a still-smouldering situation in the same region, where more than a month ago a massive blaze erupted at a sawmill waste dump in Linden. The fire, which began in early April, proved extremely difficult to contain due to the volume of timber waste, challenging terrain, and inadequate water pressure in the area.
At the time, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn visited the scene and confirmed that multiple agencies, including the Civil Defence Commission, the Guyana Defence Force, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private contractors—were involved in the containment effort. The fire was expected to burn for several more days despite containment lines being set up
Station Officer Rovin Thomas, who was stationed at the site of the sawmill blaze, had also flagged persistent challenges, including low water pressure from hydrants and difficulty accessing alternative water sources due to terrain.
The sawmill fire, reportedly sparked by improper disposal of timber waste, also caused the destruction of a nearby hut and led to a suspension of industrial activities in the vicinity.
