A fire suspected to be electrical in origin has completely gutted a house at Supply Village, East Bank Demerara (EBD), leaving at least seven persons homeless.
The fire reportedly started about 15:30h at the Lot 17 Supply Public Road home in one of the bedrooms. At the time of the fire, the owner’s reputed wife, Vanessa, was sitting on the back step with her two minor children while another was asleep.
The woman was alerted to the fire by her eldest child, who had just returned home from Georgetown. He saw the huge flames coming from one of the bedrooms and without hesitation grabbed his sister who was asleep and ran out of the house.
His mother managed to pick up the two children who were with her and run to safety. They were, however, unable to save any household items. When Guyana Times visited the scene on Tuesday morning, the occupants of the house had
The ruins of Erk Junior Lyte’s home at Supply, EBD
already made alternative living arrangements.
The owner, Erk Junior Lyte, who acquired the house from his grandparents after they died, was staying with a friend in the village while his reputed wife and children took up short-term residency at a relative’s home in Georgetown.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Lyte explained that he did construction and painting work to provide for his family. He said he was at work when he received the news that his house was on fire.
He immediately contacted a friend who lived nearby and asked him to check on his family and to ensure all of them were accounted for. He rushed home only to find the fire tenders at the scene without water.
However, after sourcing water, he added, the pumps failed to function. He flays the Fire Service for its sloppy response, noting that if they had turned up at the fire equipped, then sections of his house might have been saved.
He noted that the shop that he was constructing was also reduced to ashes owing to the incompetence of the Guyana Fire Service. The frustrated man further stated that upon arriving at the scene, he made sure that his family was safe.
While he could not estimate his losses, he related that his house was fully furnished with the necessary amenities to make his family confortable. Once the Fire Service completed its investigations, he noted that the area would be cleared to rebuild, but he was seeking the assistance of the public to do so.
“I must thank the people who assisted so far…people rushed to our assistance and we are thankful,” Lyte added.
A fire official when contacted told this publication that after receiving the call, a tender from Diamond, EBD was deployed but after encountering challenges, a tender from Timehri Fire Service was summoned.
The official further stated that by the time the tender arrived, the wooden structure was already burnt to the ground. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
