Unattended garbage fire spreads to nearby home, others damaged
A fire that was started through the improper disposal of garbage has left a 60-year-old woman homeless, a flat wooden building destroyed, and two other houses in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown damaged.
The incident occurred at about 19:00h on Tuesday at Lot 733, Sixth Field Cummings Lodge. The destroyed building was owned and occupied by 60-year-old Haimwantie Singh.
Firefighters at the scene of the fire at Cummings Lodge
According to the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS), Singh had lit a heap of garbage next to her home and had left it unattended, and the fire quickly spread to her home and engulfed the house, resulting in its destruction.
The heat radiating from the burning house also destroyed three black tanks and one metre of PVC guttering in the neighbouring houses located at Lot 734 and Lot 733 respectively.
The GFRS stated that firefighters from the Central, Alberttown, and Campbellville fire stations were dispatched to the location.
The GFRS is also warning citizens of the dangers of leaving burning garbage or grass fires unattended, as they can quickly escalate and cause significant damage. To control and prevent grass and garbage fires, the Guyana Fire Service advises, the public must avoid openly burning grass and garbage, and find other means of disposal and/or land clearing. Large grass and garbage fires should be reported to the Fire Department immediately, and cigarette or cigar butts should not be thrown on the ground or out of a vehicle.
“Parents should also educate their children about the dangers of playing with fire, and keep a shovel, bucket of water, fire extinguisher or other fire suppression tools on hand to put out fires if they occur or get out of hand,” the Fire Service has said. (G9)
