Policewoman, family homeless after fire guts ECD home
The house that was destroyed as a result of the fire
A fire on Saturday morning destroyed a two-storey concrete house located at Lot 4 Graham’s Hall, Mission Ground, East Coast Demerara (ECD), rendering a family of four homeless.
Natyor Carbon, a 32-year-old policewoman, her young son, her reputed husband, and her differently-abled aunt resided at the house. The fire reportedly started in the upper flat of the house at about 10:30h.
According to Carbon, she was in the yard washing clothes when she was alerted by her child that there was a fire. She immediately rushed upstairs and managed to evacuate her son along with her aunt from the burning building as flames spread rapidly.
“While washing and cooking, I sent my son upstairs because he does get to attend scout every Saturday at 1:00h. I told him to go prepare for scout and come downstairs back. He said he went into the bathroom to bathe and all I heard was ‘mommy, mommy there is fire in the hall where the flat-screen TV is,” she said.
“I dropped everything and I ran upstairs. I didn’t even get to make it upstairs. I saw the whole front of the house consumed in smoke. So, I ran downstairs, pulled out the two gas bottles and I tried to get my disabled aunt out of the house because she was downstairs eating breakfast.”
The policewoman further explained that upon exiting the building, the blaze engulfed the entire upper flat within minutes, leaving her family with nothing but the clothes they were wearing at the time the fire started.
Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene, but despite their efforts, the house was destroyed.
The woman added that millions of dollars have gone up in flames. She said the property is owned by her 67-year-old aunt, Joylyn Sealy, who has been living at the property for over 20 years. She was unaware if the house was insured.
“She [her aunt] lost her leg for about a year. She doesn’t have anyone and no children so I moved in the house with her to take care of her,” Carbon said.
The fire is suspected to be electrical in origin but a full investigation is currently underway.
