Fire destroys Angoy’s Avenue home shortly after recent renovations

A wooden house at Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was destroyed by fire on Sunday afternoon, just days after renovation works were carried out on the property. Firefighters battled for more than an hour to contain the blaze, but by the time the flames were brought under control, the structure had been reduced to rubble. No injuries were reported. The house at Levi Dam and Angoy’s Avenue had recently undergone repairs funded by the owner, who is currently overseas. According to her daughter, Natifa Bacchus, who was responsible for supervising the work, the renovations included replacing boards and zinc sheets, as well as improving the front section of the building. She explained that since November, her mother had been sending money from overseas to purchase materials and pay a carpenter, who is a relative, to carry out the work. “She sent money to buy wood and zinc, and she recently fixed the front part of the house before she travelled,” the woman said. The property had previously been rented, but renting was later discontinued after disagreements over rent collection. Before leaving the country two days before the fire, Bacchus’s mother reportedly instructed that someone remain on the property to keep an eye on it. Her son, Rashid Sinclair was chosen. On Sunday, he had reportedly been cleaning the yard and burning rubbish earlier in the day. He later left briefly to get food.

“When the neighbour called and said fire break out in front yard, by the time he run out, the fire was already big and he couldn’t do anything,” the woman said.
Bacchus stated that there were no appliances or open flames inside the house that could easily explain the cause of the fire. “I can’t say what caused it. He don’t light candle, nothing like that. I can’t say,” she added. The woman, who lives a short distance away, said she first learned about the fire after hearing about it in the area and immediately contacted her mother overseas via video call to inform her. Meanwhile, Sinclair said he was away and only noticed the blaze after hearing activity outside.

“I look in front and the house was on fire. When I come, it was already serious,” Sinclair said. He explained that the fire had already spread too far for him to control with buckets of water. Sinclair said there was no fire burning inside the house when he left earlier in the day and could not say what may have caused the blaze. “To be honest, I can’t say. Nothing with stove, nothing with current. I really can’t say,” he stated.
Fire officials are expected to conduct further assessments to determine the cause of the blaze. Residents in the area described the incident as shocking, noting that the house had recently been repaired and was in good condition before the fire. The destruction has left the overseas-based owner devastated, according to relatives, as the property represented years of savings and recent investment. Investigations into the fire continue.