A fire on Thursday evening destroyed a house at Heathburn Village, East Bank Berbice (EBB), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
The house was occupied by Aliya Jackson, 22, a part-time worker attached to the National Psychiatric Hospital, along with her husband and three-year-old child.
At the time of the blaze, Jackson had gone to New Amsterdam to purchase food, but while in the township, she received reports that her home was on fire.
“I get a call from my friend saying that my house is on fire. I didn’t leave nothing on at home in my house. After I talking to my friend, meh cousin who is also my neighbour called me and tell me that my whole house bun down.”
Jackson said the stove could not have been left on, because she did not cook for the day nor did she leave any appliances plugged into any electricity outlets.
“Nothing wasn’t plugged in; the only thing that was on was the downstairs light and the upstairs light. Nothing else; no charger or anything left plugged in. My freezer, I defrosted it and cleaned it and never put it on back.”
What is left of the house after the blaze
According to Jackson, no other occupants could have left something plugged in since they were both out for a few days.
“It does normally be me; my son and my child’s father end up spending some time with his mother and he went with his son.”
According to Jackson, she also had important documents for her father in the house.
“The most painful thing is that my father is not there and I lost everything for him; everything. His ID card, his bank card, his passport… I lost everything for my three-year-old son’s things; I lost everything for me, the only thing I have is my ID and bank cards.”
According to the young woman, she was told by an aunt that a cousin of hers who is mentally unstable was seen running away from the house when the fire was spotted.
“His head isn’t too right… If he is my cousin and he see my house on fire, why he running if he didn’t do it? I can’t see that; I didn’t have nothing plugged on in my kitchen – no gas on and the fire start from my kitchen at the back,” the distraught woman stated.
The building was owned by her father, who is currently in the interior working. The Fire Service and the Police have launched an investigation into the blaze.
