Two persons are now homeless after fire destroyed their home at Lancaster, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Thursday afternoon.
What is left of the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) home
The fire started around 17:00h.
Sharajie Issacs, called “Burnice”, 92, and her 28-year-old granddaughter were forced to watch as the flames ravaged their home.
Reports are that flames were first seen coming from one of the bedrooms in the upper flat.
According to persons in the area, it is suspected that the fire may have started after a power surge in the area.
However, initial reports from investigators stated that a child might have caused the fire.
Nonetheless, the woman’s son, Jerry, who lives next door, rubbishes those claims.
“They have their information wrong. No kid was playing with matches. The fire started on the east side on the upstairs and nobody was upstairs. Once we come down in the morning, nobody goes back upstairs until in the night to sleep. I don’t know how they get that. They told us that the fire start from a wire. I had just left and go back home and about fifteen minutes after I saw the fire. I see it coming from two bedrooms on the east side,” Jerry, one of 14 siblings who grew up in the house, said.
At the time, Issacs and her granddaughter were in the lower flat.
Issacs, who returned from the United States two months ago, estimated millions of dollars in losses. She said that the building was not insured and they were unable to save anything.
However, a unit from the Rose Hall Town Fire Department was able to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby houses. An investigation has been launched.
The investigation is continuing.
Only last Wednesday, a utility pole in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, also in the region, was on fire for about 20 minutes before GPL was able to take the power off, allowing the fire service to put out the blaze.
Residents in the neighbouring community reported that for months, they have been complaining to GPL about two black boxes on the post and frequent low voltages they have been experiencing.
According to one resident, when reports are made to GPL when the power is shut off in their house, a crew from the power company would come and fix the two black boxes, and sometimes power would come back and only half of the house would have power.
“Those are the two boxes that causing the whole Vryman’s Ervin to have low voltage. Well now they will have to replace them and bring new ones,” the resident said. (Andrew Carmichael)
