Mother of 2 dies in Berbice fire

A mother of two perished in a blaze, which completely destroyed a one-storey building at Lot 150 Number 64 Village, Corentyne on Monday.

Dead: Sabita Sukhnanand


Dead is 37-year-old Sabita Sukhnanand.
Reports are that Sukhnanand allegedly set fire to the building about 16:00h on Monday, but it was not until around 19:00h that fire-fighters were able to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to other buildings.
The woman’s 42-year-old husband, Jairam, told Guyana Times that he was at work when his daughter turned up and reported that her mother had set the house on fire.
He said when he arrived on the scene, he removed his car from under the house while neighbours were attempting to douse the fire with water by forming a bucket brigade.
Jairam said that he attempted to enter the burning building, but the curtains obscured his vision.
“When the fire catch on she, she start to holla and I jump up catch she hand, ah couldn’t get fuh hold she and pull she up. She fall down and I had to jump out back,” he explained.
This newspaper was told the couple’s 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter were in the building when it was set on fire and they raised an alarm.
There are reports that it was the third time the woman had set fire to the building. According to her husband, he believed that she was under the influence of alcohol on Monday when she lit the fire. The carpenter said that when he left for work at approximately 13:00h, his wife was in good spirits and nothing seemed off with her.
This publication was told that back in 2016, Sukhnanand set the house on fire, but neighbours were able to put out the blaze without much damage to the building.
It is believed that on Monday afternoon, the fire was set in front of the door while Sukhnanand remained in the house in her intoxicated state. She was unable to run to safety.
Residents have reported that a unit from the Corriverton Fire Service arrived more than an hour after smoke was initially seen coming from the building.
The Police are investigating.