“Everything burn up” – linesman loses home in 2nd devastating fire

Carl Williams is once again facing the painful task of rebuilding his life after an early morning fire destroyed his home at Lochador, West Canje, leaving him homeless again.
The fire broke out shortly after 03:00h on Wednesday at Lot 39 Lochador, West Canje, while Williams was asleep inside the modest one-flat wooden house, claiming everything he owned, including what he says was close to $2 million in savings.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, firefighters responded after receiving reports of the blaze. However, by the time they arrived, the building was fully engulfed in flames.
Despite their efforts to extinguish the fire, the house and all of its contents were destroyed.
Meanwhile, Williams said the fire could not have been started from a lighted stove, nor could it have been electrical since he had turned off the stove before going to bed and the house was powered by small solar panels.
Investigators are continuing to examine the cause of the blaze, although the Fire Service has indicated that it may have been started by a lighted cigarette.
“…early last night I go to bed with a cigarette. After the cigarette, I threw the cigarette through the window because the window was right by my head… and then I dropped to sleep. I couldn’t remember that,” Williams responded when asked about it.
For Williams, however, the moments after he awoke remain a blur.
He recalled opening his eyes to find flames already spreading through the kitchen area as thick smoke filled the small house. Realising the danger, he initially tried to save the building before accepting that the fire had already gained the upper hand.
“I wake up, and there was fire. When I opened my eyes, the kitchen area was already burning. I tried to throw water on it, but the fire was too much,” Williams recalled.
Although he escaped, Williams suffered minor burns and was forced to watch helplessly as years of hard work disappeared within minutes.
Among the losses he said he suffered was a substantial amount of cash he had saved while working as a linesman. According to Williams, the money was being kept inside a mattress as he prepared to build another home.
“I was saving money in a mattress… close to $2M in cash, and everything burn up,” he said.
Williams said the fire also destroyed his furniture, gas stove, beds, clothing and other household items, leaving him with virtually nothing except the clothes he escaped in.

2nd fire
The tragedy is made even more painful by the fact that this is not the first time fire has turned his life upside down.
Years ago, another house he owned was also destroyed by fire. Since then, he had worked steadily to rebuild, only to suffer another devastating setback.
“It’s not the first time it burn down… the first house burned down too. Now it happened again,” he said.
Now homeless for a second time, Williams said his immediate concern is simply finding somewhere to stay while he begins the difficult process of rebuilding his life once again.
“I have nothing to cook with. Tonight, I might be in the hammock,” he said.
The Guyana Fire Service on Wednesday said investigations into the cause of the blaze are continuing.
Anyone wishing to assist Williams with building materials, household items or other donations can contact him by telephone at (592) 660-9963.