A house went up in flames yesterday at 3 Ogle Railway Embankment, despite a valiant effort by residents in the area who worked along with the Guyana Fire Service.
Jagnarine Roopchan, a school bus driver is now homeless after his home was consumed by the raging fire. The man said that he lived there since he married his wife Evelyn at 19-years-old, he is now 59.
The two-storey house was occupied by two families. Roopchan’s son, Lenny Roopchan, 40, his wife Sherry Roopchan, 41, and their three children Varsha, 13, Sandya, 11, and Anna 9.
Jagnarine Roopchan, his wife and their nephew Damien Harripaul lived upstairs.
Roopchan and his family were at the Mandir when he heard someone scream and say “Jagnarine ya house on fire.” He quickly ran to see if this was true and had the horrid experience of seeing the top part of his house engulfed in flames.
The distraught man said he is thankful that there were no casualties and all of his family members are alive. He said his daughter-in-law and granddaughter were downstairs and fortunately they were able to get out.
When a loved one came to console Roopchan he broke in tears before reminding himself that it was only a house and what could’ve been a tragedy only turned out to be property damage.
Some residents blamed the fire service and complained that it didn’t have enough water when it arrived and about the hoses having holes. Roopchan disagreed and said the fire service was not to be blamed because his house was already engulfed in fire when they arrived.
When Stabroek News arrived, it observed leaking hoses as residents and firefighters pumped water from a nearby trench. There also appeared to be a shortage of firefighters but this was eased by dozens of residents assisting the firemen with their duties.
Lenny Roopchan told this newspaper the family will be splitting up and will be staying with family members.
A few residents were saying the fire was electrical and was started when a wire on a nearby post sparked but when Stabroek News spoke to one of the fireman he said that they could not be certain about what caused the blaze at that point. (Rae Wiltshire)
