An early morning fire of unknown origin has claimed the life of an unidentified male at Lot 1 Area A Goedverwagting, Wales, West Bank Demerara.
The Wales, WBD home destroyed by fire early Thursday morning
According to reports, the fire started at about 01:30h on Thursday in the upper flat of the two-storied wooden and concrete building. Reports also state that the charred remains which were found in a bathroom were unidentified because the body was burnt beyond recognition.
Guyana Times understands that the man who died might have broken into the house since the owner resides at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.
However, persons in the neighbourhood are of the belief that it might have been the caretaker who was burnt to death.
When this newspaper visited the scene Thursday morning, relatives of the owner were tightlipped regarding the details of the fire while officials of the Guyana Fire Service conducted their investigations into the fatal blaze.
An eyewitness who rushed to the scene after an alarm was raised explained how the events unfolded.
“Around bout 1:30, 2, one ah dem boys see and shout fire and everybody run. When I come I see the Estate Fire reel went here trying to calm down de fire,” he noted.
The witness further explained that as the gate was padlocked, police ranks scaled the fence to allow fire officers better access to the premises. It was explained that the hearse retrieved the body in daylight hours.
“De body bun so badly, yo cant know is who,” the man expressed.
The burnt West Bank Demerara property once housed the Prince of Wales Cinema but was sold to the now deceased Abdool Khan and his daughter Elisabeth Sattaur, who has been a businesswoman for a number of years. This newspaper was told Sattaur would sometimes visit her house at Wales.
This latest fire comes just a few days after the charred remains Satesh Jagmoham, 19, of Area G Squatting Area, De Willem Village, West Coast Demerara was found among the debris following a fire there.
It was reported that the young man along with another teenager would normally stay at an uncle’s house but on the evening of the fire, the other young man had been collected and was taken home.
That fire reportedly started at about 23:00h and quickly engulfed the two-bedroom structure thus leaving him no room to escape. Jagmoham’s relatives have since suspected foul play, claiming that kerosene was found scattered around the yard. (Shemuel Fanfair & Bisham Mohamed)
