By Sara Bharrat and Mark McGowan
Two houses were destroyed and three others scorched after “a disgruntled woman” reportedly started a fire at the home of a local actor.
The houses are all located in the same block on the western side of Waterloo Street between Church and Quamina streets, just a few buildings away from the notorious Globe yard.
Three families have been left homeless. Among them are a man who only identified himself as Mr. Gajraj and his family; and local actor Henry Rodney and his family. The house in which Rodney and the other family resided is owned by Dolphine Joseph who resides in the US. Joseph’s sister Ashanti Goodridge lived in the lower flat of the building alone. She reportedly fled from the building after the fire started.
Stabroek News understands that this is not the first occasion the resident in question reportedly lit a fire.
Rodney, while speaking to reporters last night, alleged that the fire was started by a woman. The actor said that he was in his upper flat apartment when he heard some “sounds” in the yard.
It was these sounds, Rodney said, which prompted him to look out of a side window.
“When I looked outside the window I barely see this woman running out the yard and then poof all of sudden was a set of flames,” Rodney reported. “This is not the first time she do this…I took her to the station recently for a fire she started.”
The distressed man said that the flames spread quickly and his family was unable to save anything.
“We didn’t get to save nothing…all I have now is the clothes I am wearing and I haven’t had dinner,” he said.
According to the actor, the fire was started at the lower flat of the building. A neighbour, who lives directly behind the ravaged homes, said he first noticed the flames at about 9.45pm.
Gajraj, owner of the other destroyed house, told this newspaper that he was home with his granddaughter when the fire started.
The man said that within minutes flames from the house next door (where Rodney lived) caught his and quickly spread throughout the structure thoroughly destroying it.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene just after 10pm two tenders were present and fire-fighters were working to control the flames which were steadily destroying the homes of Rodney and Gajraj. Flames were at the time threatening to catch on three nearby homes, however, fire-fighters managed to avoid this keeping the damage to a minimum. The back and side walls of the three houses were slight scorched.
Residents, many in their night time attire, stood along Waterloo Street in great distress. Those whose houses were threatened stood by hoping for the best. Just after 11pm when the fire had been doused and all signs of dangers gone many were relieved.
There was a heavy police presence at the scene. One officer told this newspaper this was a precaution against looting and other “disorderly events”.
Stabroek News was, up to early this morning, unable to learn from police whether the woman was taken into custody.
A senior fire official said that the buildings in the area were very close and that there was the possibility that the fire could have easily spread to other buildings. According to the official, the fire-fighters were able to contain the blaze while keeping damages to a minimum. Windows on several of the neighbouring buildings were broken, but the official suggested that this was a small price to pay for what could easily have been much bigger losses. The senior officer lamented the fact that Guyana Power & Light (GPL) was a bit slow in disconnecting power to the area.