A family of 10 is now contemplating where they will rest their heads at night after fire completely destroyed their Buck Hill, Wismar, Linden home this afternoon.
John Moriah, 75 years old, and his partner Savitree Naranjan, 54, were at their home around 2:00 pm enjoying an African movie on the verandah of their double-flat wooden home.
Their two grandchildren Shavannie Sukhu, 5, and Sabrina Sukhu, 3, were somewhere in the house playing.
Moriah said, “Suddenly I hear she (Savitree) start screaming `fire! fire!’” He said he jumped up and ran into the house and realized that the fire had already engulfed the master room. He said he attempted to enter the room but was warded off by the intensity of the inferno.
“It was too much I had to hustle and run out.” He said that he was so confused he started panicking not sure of the whereabouts of his two grandchildren.
“Thank God they got out deh house, I don’t know how but they safe.”
His partner Naranjan was also able to run to safety without any physical
harm. While speaking to Stabroek News and being consoled by her daughter, relatives and other concerned residents, the 54-year-old collapsed and had to be rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex in an unconscious state. Up to press time the woman had not regained consciousness and was in the accident and emergency unit of the LHC. Her relatives said that she is both diabetic and hypertensive.
The family lost everything to the fire. Despite the efforts of the few
neighbours and public-spirited residents who had rushed to the scene they did not get a chance to pull any of the family’s belongings to safety save two motorcycles where were in the bottom flat. The motorcycles which belonged to the woman’s son who is in the interior were damaged by the fire nonetheless.
Relatives complimented the efforts of the Linden Fire Department who they said responded promptly and put out the inferno. “They came quick but still deh couldn’t save nothing everything gone.” said a close relative.
They family estimated their losses well into the millions since they had every possible convenience in the house. They have been living at the location for approximately nine years after moving from One Mile Wismar where they have another house currently occupied by Moriah’s grandchildren.
