A late-night fire on Friday evening has completely destroyed a two-storey house in Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), thus leaving the single occupant homeless.
The fire at Good Hope, ECD
The fire that is suspected to be an act of arson reportedly started at about 21:28h. The wooden and concrete house was owned and occupied by 59-year-old Asif Shaffie.
According to the Guyana Fire Service, after receiving reports of the fire, water tenders from the Campbellville and Melanie Fire Stations were immediately dispatched to the location.
However, when firefighters arrived at the scene, the building was fully engulfed in flames.
“The purported cause of the fire is a malicious setting by a person(s) unknown,” the Fire Service related in a release.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Fire Service said it has noted an increase in arson attacks of recent and is advising citizens to not make it easy for an arsonist to start a fire or for an outdoor fire to spread to other buildings.
As such, the Fire Service shared preventative tips to reduce malicious fires.
They said keeping garbage, litter, leaves, firewood, overgrown brush and shrubbery, and other combustibles away from buildings can reduce such fires.
“Lock all doors and windows in garages, cars, and unoccupied buildings. Install outdoor lighting, including motion sensor lights, on all sides of your property. Board up abandoned buildings and clean the area of litter and debris. Securely store combustibles such as paint, gasoline, and oil in proper flammable storage containers in a locked location to restrict access. Minimise the quantity of combustibles in storage and dispose of materials you don’t need,” the statement read.
It also added that reporting suspicious activity near houses or other buildings to the Guyana Fire Service or Guyana Police Force is necessary.
“Get to know your neighbours – together you can keep a watchful eye on your community. Keep matches and lighters out of reach and out of sight of children. If you know or suspect that an arson crime has been committed, contact the Guyana Fire Service or Guyana Police Force immediately,” the statement urged.
