The Campbellville home of well-known social activist Andaiye and her father Dr Frank Williams was completely destroy-ed last evening by fire of unknown origin.
The fire, which started just after 7 pm, originated in the bottom flat of the Bonasika Street, Section K Campbell-ville house which according to Andaiye was at the time occupied by four children, one of whom is a teenager.
“I really don’t know anything,” Andaiye said when approached by reporters on the origin of the fire.
She explained that she was in the upper flat with her father, Dr Williams, 93, his caregiver and her daughter when she was alerted to the fire by the screaming of the children. She said that the fire may have caught on something that would have fuelled it as within minutes it was spreading.
“I turned to collect my computer but by that time smoke was coming through the floor,” she said adding that they had to quickly evacuate the building and were unable to save anything.
And for Andaiye losing her house is nothing compared to the loss of historical documentation as all their computers, CDs and flash drives were obliterated. Her family had also been collecting paintings for a number of years and these, too, were also consumed by the blaze.
She indicated that her home was occupied by a Red Thread activist and her children. The woman was not at home at the time and when she arrived minutes after the fire she collapsed on the ground and started to scream.
Andaiye said because the children are tramautised by the ordeal she has not yet questioned them on the origin of the fire.
She bought the house nine years ago but at that time it was a “shell” and she fixed it up before moving it. And while it was insured it was not for “a lot.”
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene Andaiye’s father was being removed from the congested street by two young men.
Four fire engines with a number of firemen were on the scene battling the blaze while armed police ranks kept the crowd at bay.