The Guyana Relief Council (GRC) recently donated a number of items to five families who suffered losses due to fire.
Seventy-three-year-old Elizabeth McRae who resided at the upper storey of Lot 71 Victoria, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Kumaraie Jairam who lived at the bottom flat lost their belongings to a fire, which ravaged the building on July 23. Speculation was rife that the elderly woman might have left a pot on unattended and that might have started the blaze, which according to reports started in the upper flat.
McRae was said to be asleep when her nephew alerted her that her room was ablaze. In her attempts to escape her hand was scorched. McRae’s nephew reportedly kicked open the door and assisted her out of the building.
No one was said to have been at home for a week at the Jairam residence as they were reportedly attending to their mother who had been hospitalised. The woman said a neighbour told her of the fire but by the time she got home only charred pieces remained.
Meanwhile, the family of Sudeswar Ragnauth of lot 7 Affiance, Essequibo Coast who resided at the upper flat of a two-storey house suffered losses in an August 10 fire. Ragnauth’s wife said the fire might have been caused by an electrical outlet. The woman said she and her daughter were having breakfast in the bottom flat when the shouts of a neighbour and a bucket brigade alerted them that the upper storey had been ablaze. The family said it was grateful to the Guyana Fire Service for their prompt response which prevented the bottom flat from becoming engulfed.
The Bisnauth Singh family, of lot 6 BG Best Squatting Area, also suffered losses due to fire on August 10.
The man’s wife Tajewattie Singh told this newspaper that she had been on her way back home after vending at the Parika Market when she saw smoke coming from her home. The woman said her husband and daughter had been asleep while the house was burning but they soon exited the building. The family reportedly lost all their belongings in the blaze. Also, a family of six of North Haslington, ECD suffered losses in a June 26 fire. Provisions had been made to assist the family but they did not attend the distribution ceremony.
The GRC said it relies on donations from a small number of donors and volunteers in order to assist persons who suffer disaster. The group commends its donors who have repeatedly demonstrated the GRC motto ‘Caring and sharing’ which helps families to restart their lives after suffering losses. These families were given vouchers of basic household items such as mattresses and toiletries. The families said they were grateful for the GRC’s assistance.
