Cause of fire that claimed life of elderly man in Bartica still unknown – GFS

– as investigations continue

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Thursday reported that investigations are still underway to ascertain the cause of the fire that claimed the life of 94-year-old Albert Hopkinson.
The GFS was alerted of the fire which reportedly started at about 13:20h on Wednesday at Sixth Street and Third Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

In response, a water tender, water bowser, and their respective crews were dispatched to the scene, and upon their arrival some five minutes later, the firemen went into action.
They observed that the two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by Hopkinson and his daughter, Dawn Hopkinson was engulfed in flames.
As a result of the fire, the top floor of the building was destroyed. On the other hand, Hopkinson received second and third-degree burns about his body, while his daughter sustained first and second-degree burns.

They were both airlifted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the elderly man succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment. “Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire,” the GFS stated in a release.
Meanwhile, citizens are reminded to exercise caution and follow safety measures to avoid home fires.
“Homes should be equipped with fire prevention and firefighting devices such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or buckets of sand, which will aid in alerting people to a fire and putting it out quickly.”
Additionally, the GFS stated that while grillwork provides homes and businesses with security, it is necessary to have an evacuation plan in place in the eventuality of a fire or other emergencies.