By Zoisa Fraser
A fire suspected to be electrical in origin destroyed a two-storey building at Lot 25 Hill Street, Albouystown around 11.30 am yesterday, leaving in its wake millions of dollars in damage and eight persons homeless.
The upper flat was completely destroyed, while the two apartments below sustained significant water and fire damage. A man, who was asleep in the upper flat had to seek medical attention after he jumped through a window to escape.
Residents recalled seeing fire running along the ceiling on the northern side of the building around 11.30 am yesterday and within minutes the entire upper flat was engulfed despite the efforts of neighbours who had formed a bucket brigade.
This newspaper was told that on numerous occasions, occupants of the building had cause to visit the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc office to report a sparking wire but it was never fixed.
The Guyana Fire Service, too, came in for heavy criticism yesterday for the apparent lack of water. However, Fire Chief Lawrence David in an invited comment told Stabroek News that this was not the case.
He said three tenders went to the scene with their tanks filled, but the water could only last for a few minutes. He stressed that the water they had was inadequate to fight the fire and as such firemen had to look for alternative water sources.
According to David, residents might have drawn the conclusion that they had no water when they saw firemen attempting to get water from the nearby trench.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene, residents were gathered and some occupants were being comforted, while others were attempted to retrieve some belongings. There was ankle-high water in the lower flat while burnt wood, kitchen utensils and other items met one’s eye on the upper flat. The only thing left untouched for the residents of the upper flat was a washing machine, which was on the back veranda.
Ezekiel Jacobs, who occupied an apartment on the bottom flat, was attempting to retrieve a few items when this newspaper visited.
He said two fire engines arrived about 20 minutes after the fire started and another arrived shortly after. He said that by the time the last tanker arrived, it was too late as the building was already engulfed.
The man’s home had water and what the fire had not eaten was water soaked. Jacobs added that they formed a bucket brigade but the heavy grillwork on the upper flat hampered their efforts to contain the blaze.
He estimated his loses at close to $1 million and told this newspaper he was unsure where he would be spending the night as he had nowhere to go.
Jacqueline Payne, who lived in the apartment behind Jacobs, was in tears. Between sobs the woman who lived alone said she was at the hospital with her grandson when her sister called and said her home was on fire.
“I didn’t believe she because I know I ain’t lef nothing on… Everything done. All my clothes and everything get bun up,” she said adding that she did not know where she was going to live.
While this newspaper was on the scene, residents were arguing among themselves that the fire started in the upstairs kitchen located at the back of the house but the occupants dismissed this, saying that would be impossible because the only person upstairs was sickly and had no cause to light anything.
It was then brought to the attention of this newspaper that there were problems with an electric wire to the front of the building. A resident who lives a stone’s throw away recalled seeing fire on the northern side of the house. The kitchen is located in the southern half.
The resident said she was trapped as she could not leave her yard because of the intense heat.
She said another resident tried dousing the flames with a hose. However, that proved futile and he then concentrated his efforts on the building next door. The side of that building was scorched.
Shelly Durjhan, whose mother lived on the upper flat told Stabroek News that their losses ran into the millions because she had only recently furnished their home with new items from a city furniture store.
She said she and her mother had cause to visit the power company to report the sparking wire but “them just promising fuh come and they never reach”.
