“I don’t know where to start” – mother of 3 left homeless after Sophia fire

What once stood tall as a family home now lies in ruins, leaving Merika Wellington of Lot 10 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and her three children without a home. On Sunday, a fire suspected to have been deliberately set destroyed three buildings and severely damaged another at Lot 10 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown, according to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). The GFS said on Sunday evening that it responded to reports of a house fire at Pike Street, Sophia, dispatching three water tenders and an ambulance to the scene. Braving feelings of shock and confusion, Wellington described the devastating aftermath of the fire, which she said left her family with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.

Wellington recounted that on the morning of the fire, her cousin, who lives in a separate apartment on the lower floor of the building, appeared to be behaving in an unusual manner. According to her, he said he was not feeling well, appeared distressed, and was not behaving as he normally does. During their conversation, he repeatedly suggested that something was bothering him but struggled to explain what he was experiencing. She said she questioned whether he had consumed alcohol or drugs, but he denied doing so. Wellington said her cousin’s behaviour continued to concern her as the day progressed. Concerned by his condition, Wellington contacted her brother and allowed him to listen to the conversation over speakerphone. She said her cousin’s behaviour remained strange, prompting her to help him lie down and attempt to keep him calm. However, when he repeatedly removed his clothing and continued acting out of character, she became frightened and increasingly worried about his state of mind. Meanwhile after this, she stated that “When I left him alone, I got a few calls from the back, that the house was on fire, by the time I got in the back [of the house], everything was gone. I couldn’t grab anything. What I had on yesterday [Sunday] is all I have saved. Nothing more. Nothing for my children. Nothing for me. Nothing for my brother. Everything was gone.” She said her children has exams at school next week but everything has been lost to the fire. “No uniforms, nothing, nothing at all. I work with the police, and now I have nothing. We have to start all over again. It’s very hard for me right now. I don’t know where to start. I have three children and I don’t know where to begin. That’s why I’m leaving here, because I don’t know where to start.” She also expressed sympathy for her cousin despite the tragedy.
“If he comes back to himself and sees what he did, it will break him down because there was no issue, no problem at all. To be honest, I can’t even process it. Everything is gone. Every single thing. My fridge, microwave, washing machine, everything.”