Victims of Linden fire died from smoke inhalation – PME
Dead: (L-R): Zella Lawrence, Ronika Lawrence and Angelique Lawrence
Autopsies conducted on the nurse and her two nieces who tragically died in the Christmas morning fire have found that they died from smoke inhalation. This information was provided by the Guyana Police Force on Thursday.
This fateful fire, which broke out at about 02:00h on Christmas morning at Central Amelia’s Ward in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), claimed the lives of 30-year-old Zella Lawrence and her nieces, 16-year-old Angelique Lawrence and eight-year-old Ronika Lawrence.
It has been reported that the Guyana Fire Service, upon receiving reports of a fire, had dispatched two fire tenders along with five firefighters to the scene.
The structure, a two-storey wooden-and-concrete building owned by Veronica Headley, was occupied by Zella Lawrence. At the time, her two nieces, residents of Mackenzie in Linden, were also in the building.
Immediate action by firefighters resulted in the blaze being contained to the bottom flat of the building. One sofa set, four metres of ceiling, and a quantity of clothing were severely damaged.
One jet was utilized to successfully extinguish the fire. However, by that time, all occupants of that flat had perished. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and Fire Prevention officials are continuing their investigations.
On Thursday, Commander of Police Division 10, Superintendent Guy Nurse, along with Pastor Sills and Reverend McKinnon from the Cops and Faith Community Network, visited Woman Corporal Onika Lawrence at Mora Street, Mackenzie, Linden and other grieving relatives.
Commander Nurse and team sympathised with the grieving family, and offered words of comfort at this difficult time. The grieving family were appreciative of the visit by Commander Nurse and team.
