A family of No. 2 Settlement, Blairmont, West Bank Berbice, on Thursday managed to save their house from a fire that was ignited after the collapse of a rotten section of a utility pole.
Around 10 am, the electrical wire from the pole dropped on Totoram Tullaram’s roof. The roof was soon engulfed by flames. In a three-quarter hour battle, Totoram, 47, and other residents used mud from nearby drains to battle the flames. Totoram received an electrical shock during the ordeal and he was rushed to the nearby GuySuCo dispensary, where he was treated.
His wife, Baso Tullaram, 40, told Stabroek News that she was cooking when she heard her daughter, Lisa, 17, and her son, Satesh, 22, screaming. Their screams also alerted the neighbours. Lisa said she heard a loud thud on the roof and a noise coming from the electrical meter. She became scared as she did not know what was happening. Soon, Totoram, who was at work at the nearby sluice and the neighbours ran over and attempted to put out the fire with water. However, the flames spread.
The rotten pole was in front of Inshan Ally’s house and he felt that the wire would have blocked his path from venturing out to assist. He, however, shouted to the others to use the mud instead of the water.
Ally told this newspaper that about three months ago he reported the pole to the Guyana Power & Light Inc. and they came and inspected it. They promised to return to change it but never did. Residents also said that whenever the meter readers visited, they would remind them about the problem. They said it was a disaster waiting to happen and they felt that Thursday’s incident could have been worse.
Baso said her television set was on at the time and made a noise and “cut off.” She was not sure if it, along with her refrigerator and other appliances were damaged because the area was immediately plunged into a blackout.
The fire and the fire-fighting efforts left the Tullaram house a mess, with mud all over the walls, floor and ceiling. Articles in the house were also covered with mud and so were the persons who assisted in putting out the blaze. Baso said while she would have a lot of cleaning up to do, she did not mind because “at least me house save….”
