A 48-year-old single-parent mother and her sons yesterday lost their home and all their possessions in a midday fire.
Cheryl Samaroo, of Lot 28 Good Hope, Phase Two, East Coast Demerara, told Stabroek News that she and one of her two sons left for work around 7 in the morning, ensuring that they had plugged out all electrical equipment.
She said that at around 11:30, she received a telephone call and was told that her two-storey house was on fire. Upon her arrival there, Samaroo was devastated to find her house totally engulfed in flames and fire fighters trying their best to quell the fire.
However, their efforts were no match for the strong winds in the breezy area, which helped in feeding the flames.
The origin of the fire is suspected to be electrical, since neighbours related that they heard a sparking sound and saw smoke coming from the main switch in the upper part of the house. They also related that before the fire, there had been two bouts of blackouts, and the fire began just after the current had returned.
One neighbour stated that she had just gone downstairs to pick up some clothes when she saw smoke emanating from the back of Samaroo’s house. The woman said she then raised an alarm, but as there were no men present at the time, she and some other women entered the yard and attempted to break open the door to the ground floor of the house, but their efforts proved futile.
She said that within seconds the entire house was engulfed.
Both Samaroo and her son David, 20, attested to the fact that their kitchen was downstairs and before leaving the home they had ensured that the kerosene stove they used was turned off.
A cleaner for fifteen years, Samaroo tearfully explained that she worked hard to build her house and to furnish it. These items included three beds, four mattresses, two televisions, a music set, a wall divider, a washing machine, a refrigerator, and a chair set, which she recently purchased.
She averages that, house included, her loss adds up to $6M, minus her and her sons’ clothing. In tears, Samaroo explained that she recently underwent surgery and as a result she is not able to wash as she used to, so she purchased the washing machine to assist her.
Apart from the material valuables, Samaroo and her sons also lost all of their important documents, including ID Cards, NIS cards. The woman, who is also an asthmatic, stated that she also lost her inhaler and medications to the fire, after forgetting to take them to work with her.
When she was not at work, the woman spent time rearing poultry, which she would sell to assist with income.
The 30 that she has currently been rearing have survived yesterday’s blaze.
When Stabroek News visited the scene, kind hearted neighbours could be seen comforting Samaroo, whom they said is a peaceful and kind woman, and many offered to open their doors to her and her sons.
