EMT on duty at fire station loses home in WCB blaze

…2nd fire within hours

A second fire has destroyed a West Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) house hours after a fire flatted a building at D’Edward on Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters were called on again even before they had returned to the Onverwagt Fire Station on Saturday after battling fire which was threatening a second building.

The second fire on Saturday which was at Lot 6 McRay Street, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice (WBB) and owned by Cyril Agard, his wife, and two children.
Agard, who is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) attached to the New Amsterdam Fire Station, was at work at the time.
He said that at bout 15:30h he received a telephone call informing him that his house was on fire. “When I meet, I see a lot of people group up on the road, and I see a big gulf of flame on my house. I panic because I have family, my son, my wife, my kids, and I run in to see if they are okay and if anything is alright with them, and when I go inside, I burst out in tears. Nevertheless, I have to be strong, I have two vehicles, I try to get them out of the yard, push them out. The public came out and helped me, and I am very thankful for that. However, I am seeking help because, in this situation, for a young man like me with a family, building a home like this is very hard, especially with the current cost of living in Guyana. I am seeking help from the public,” Agard told this publication.
Apart from being an EMT, Agard also operates a mechanic shop and, at the time, had several vehicles in his yard.
“A lot of people’s motorcycles could be burned up in the fire. I can’t give account for that because it’s not something that no one planned for.” At least four motorcycles were destroyed.
“We have a CBR, we have a CB1, and we have a Honda Rakos, here all burnt,” he noted.
“My wife exercise bicycle, and all my documents burned. Car registration, land paper, licence, ID card, bank card, all the documents gone,” Agard said as he broke down in tears.
He noted that there were three television sets in the two-bedroom upper wood building, apart from all of the amenities to make his home comfortable.
The entire building was reduced to ashes.
“It leaves me now without a home. Just rubbles and ash and burn wood.”
Earlier on Saturday, a mid-morning fire at D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) left six persons seeking alternative arrangements while contemplating the way forward.
There was no response from the Zeelust/Rosignol Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) which was recently provided with a firefighting truck from the Local Government Ministry. Meanwhile, persons desirous of making contact with Agard can do via telephone numbers (592) 617-481 or (592) 732-1773.