A fire of so far unknown origin has destroyed a house at Line Path, Corentyne, Berbice (East Berbice-Corentyne), and the market vendor, believes someone deliberately set his home on fire.
The aftermath of the fire
The Monday afternoon blaze destroyed a two-bedroom, upper flat house reducing it to rubble.
Flames were initially seen at a section of the building at about 17:00h.
The building was owned and occupied by Navindra Ramnarine, who lived alone.
Ramnarine, a market vendor, was not at home at the time of the blaze.
The 58-year-old man explained that he was with his mother when he learned of the fire in his two-bedroom upper flat home.
“I came from the market and eat. Normally I would go in the hammock when I finished eating and when the place get dark I would walk and go home. While I sleeping my neighbour come and tell me that me house on fire. He tell me to jump in the car quick. When I reach the house three-quarter burn.”
Ramnarine said a unit from the Corriverton Fire Department arrived, and after utilising the water it had, it had to leave the scent and get more water.
“When they come back the house done bun I didn’t save anything. They have a canal right next to me. Dem boys tell them to run the hose to the canal and pump water…. There was nothing that I could save; not even a pin; the fire burn everything,” Ramnarine said as he broke down in tears.
He suspects someone deliberately set his house on fire, noting that the building was not connected to the electricity grid. In fact, the man explained that his house was powered by an independent solar system.
According to the vendor, neighbours told him the fire was initially seen next to a bond which is adjacent to the house.
“The neighbour say they saw a small fire and run to go and save the house but they had no water. By the time they get water the fire get too big. The fire was from the side of the bond and that is where the fire come out from. I don’t cook and I don’t have electricity – how the fire start? The fire was till behind the bond, not inside. The bond attached to the house. It got to be that somebody set it.”
He pointed out that he will be staying at his mother’s house for the time but is not sure for how long he will be able to stay there.
“I want to build back something and I this age I can’t do that…”
Ramnarine who has been a vendor for over 35 years has been living along for the past 7 years.
He says he built the house more than 30 years ago.
As the fire service continues to investigate the cause of the fire, Ramnarine says he welcomes any assistance to get his life back on track. He can be contacted at 709-3527. (G4)
