A Belle West, Canal Number Two Polder family of nine is now contemplating members’ next move after a mid-morning fire completely gutted their home on Thursday.
The structure located at Lot 1386 Belle West, Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was completely razed by the blaze. The home was owned by Julie Yipsam and Ken Joseph.
The gutted one-storey concrete structure
Speaking with Guyana Times, Yispsam’s sister-in-law, Gwynette Ashby explained that just before 12:00h, she saw smoke emanating from the ceiling, and rushed to cut the electricity supply to the building, but it was too late.
She added that the occupants of the house ran to safety after which they stood in despair watching their home become engulfed in flames.
“Well, just before 12 o’clock when I went in the backroom, I saw the smoke coming from the ceiling, I ran and switch off the main switch …. after we saw the smoke, we all run for safety and we called for help, some neighbours come and try to see what we could save, but we couldn’t save much,” Ashby said.
According to the young woman, the Fire Service arrived at the scene when the house had already been burnt completely.
“We called the Fire Service and they took about 45 minutes to get here; by the time they got here, everything was done…the fire didn’t out, they out it when they reached.”
Of all their valuables, the family only managed to save two pieces of a chair set, a computer, and a television. They are estimating the losses to be over $8 million.
