A fire completely destroyed a D’ Edward Village, West Coast Berbice home on Tuesday night, leaving six persons homeless and the homeowners believe it was deliberately set.
Thakur Persaud Sarjoo, 54, a cane harvester, his wife, his daughter and his daughter’s three children are now homeless after a blaze completely destroyed their two-storey of Lot 4 Section A, D’ Edward Village home around 9.45 pm.
“Me deh sleep, after that me wife tell me fire, after me run downstairs me see the whole downstairs catch a fire”, Sarjoo said in an interview, as he stood staring at what was left of his home. “Me holla tell she leh abie come upstairs and run out,” he added.
Sarjoo’s wife Pulmattie Hunt said it happened quickly. “I see the heat in the house when I was in the bed before I could wake me husband up the fire done take over. The whole house in smoke,” Hunt said. “Me just run out and call me grandchildren them out of the house. In less than five minutes the house burn down,” she added.
According to Hunt, she saw the fire coming from downstairs but not from the kitchen area. “Like someone set that fire,” she alleged. “When we get up we smelling gas. Like them spray the whole house with the gasoline cause the house catch a fire quick.”
Hunt said she suspected a man who had threatened her daughter.
According to Hunt, the last threat from the man was made on Tuesday evening. “Up to last night he come again and say he go destroy the family abie go see what happen and it na reach ten minutes and me house reach fire,” she said.
Sarjoo said a report of their suspicions has been made to the police.
Stabroek News was unable to contact the officer in charge of the local fire department for a comment.
Hunt, who is an asthmatic, collapsed after running out of the house and was taken to the hospital where she was treated and kept overnight for observation.
The couple estimated their losses to be about $6 million.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman of Region Five Vickchand Ramphal and Regional Vice Chairman Rion Peters visited the family yesterday. Ramphal told Stabroek News that the region will work towards assisting the family.
“This is sad what happened here,” he said. “This family lost a lot. On the regional level we will be assisting the family.” He said the main priority would be assisting the three children with school supplies to get them back in school at the earliest. He also pleaded with the public to assist in any way they can.
Peters said he has known Sarjoo for several years and that he has worked tirelessly over the years to build his home “piece by piece”. Anyone desirous of making a donation can contact one of Sarjoo’s daughters on 662-3914.
