Eight persons are now homeless after an entire building was flattened by fire at Bent Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
Reports are the fire started at about 03:00h at the Lot B-2 Bent Street, Georgetown property.
The aftermath of the fire
Marlon Martin, who resided in the lower flat of the two-storey structure with his mother told Guyana Times that he was awakened by screams from the upper flat. An alarm was raised that a fire had started.
Both of them rushed out of the building and tried to render assistance but the entire structure was already engulfed in thick smoke. The upper storey was occupied by six other persons, none of whom received injuries.
“This morning, we just hear the people upstairs hollering fire, fire, fire. By the time we get out, the fire done spread the whole place,” the distraught man informed.
Martin said they were unable to salvage belongings or furniture from the blaze. By then, the Guyana Fire Service arrived at the scene and attempted to quell the blaze.
Fire victim: Marlon Martin
At about 11:00h, neighbours rendered assistance to clear the charred debris. The wooden upper flat was flattened while only the concrete walls remained on the lower section.
While the Fire Service would have managed to contain the flames from spreading to neighboring houses, an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
