A two-storey wooden building located at East Street, Cummingsburg was yesterday afternoon gutted by a fire of unknown origin leaving four persons homeless and millions of dollars in losses.
Stabroek News understands that the fire started at the back of the house after a loud explosion. Eyewitnesses recalled that the fire gutted the entire top flat of the old wooden structure within 30 minutes. The occupants were not at home at the time of the fire.
Divisional Officer in charge of operations at the Guyana Fire Service, Compton Sparman, speaking to reporters yesterday said that the fire service received a call around 3:05 pm yesterday informing them that a building was engulfed in flames. He said that teams were sent to the location. The fire was seen from the fire service headquarters, Stabroek which signalled that the building was already fully engulfed. “We dispatched four appliances, namely from Central, Campbellville and Alberttown after taking into consideration the dry season and the lack of water in that area”, Sparman said. He lauded the fire fighters for controlling the fire.
Contacted, last evening for a comment, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said investigations are ongoing.
An occupant of the house said he received a telephone call informing him of the fire after which he immediately rushed to the scene. The man said that by the time he arrived at the house the fire had already spread and he was unable to save anything. “I lost everything, all the things in the house was brand new”, he related.
A rank attached to the police tactical services unit, Sherman Noel said he had just departed a nearby hospital in his vehicle and was passing by the building when he saw thick smoke coming from it. He subsequently stopped and informed some wash bay workers who were attending to a car in the building next door and they alerted the fire service who responded within two minutes.
Yesterday afternoon, persons gathered in large numbers to witness the fire. Many were heard praising the fire service for their work.
A neighbour, Debra Lewis told this newspaper that she was sleeping when she felt a terrible heat. The woman said at first she thought it was someone burning garbage but after enquiring she saw the building on fire. Kurtis Stanley, a resident of Cummings Street said he was cooking when he was alerted about a fire and he immediately rushed to render assistance.
In addition, to destroying the house the fire also scorched several nearby buildings.
