A fire of unknown origin yesterday ripped through the upper flat of a home at Mocha Arcadia leaving four persons, including two children displaced.
The fire occurred shortly before 9 am at Lot P, Republic Avenue, Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara.
Penelope Mitchell, the owner, said she was downstairs preparing to go over to their shop, which is located in the same yard, when she heard her daughter who was alone upstairs watching television screaming.
“I say is probably an insect or something she screaming at, but when I go upstairs I saw this big ball of fire… and I just grab her and run back downstairs,” she said.
She said her husband, who was in kitchen downstairs, raised an alarm and persons came over and helped form a brigade and such the fire was contained to the upper flat. Mitchell thanked the villagers of Mocha for their swift action.
“I am grateful to the men in the community that helped. They came very fast and they were very honest,” she said, adding that nothing was stolen. “A lot of stuff damage but I thank God for life and for my daughter life,” she added. Mitchell was unable to place a value on the stuff they had lost. The bottom flat of the home was also damaged because of the amount of water that was coming from upstairs as the men tried to out the fire.
Residents in the area said that the response time for the fire engine was swift, but said by the time it arrived the fire had already been tamed.
“Soon as we hear fire, everyone come and start run with their bucket. The heat was too much so I wet my vest and pull it over my head and start warring. By the time them men reach (firemen) we had already out the fire,” one resident said.
A fire official said the origin of the fire is still to be determined and when they arrived the flames were already extinguished but that the heat source was present and the hose drill was used to extinguish that.
One resident in the area said that GPL needs to watch the fluctuation of electricity, since she believes the fire was electrical.
