Approximately nine members of the Guyana Fire Service are being questioned after money was reported missing following their response to a fire at a South Ruimveldt house. a
The Guyana Fire Service’s Head of Operations Compton Sparman confirmed to Stabroek News that the firemen were being questioned by police about the report of the missing cash.
Sparman said after senior officers were made aware of the allegations leveled against the firefighters, the police were called in. “We, the administration of the Guyana Fire Service, would not tolerate such behaviour… we called in the police,” he said.
Just around 11 am yesterday, a fire of unknown origin gutted the top flat of a house located at Congress Drive, South Ruimveldt and three fire tenders responded.
According to Keane Fogenay, who occupies the home with her husband and mother-in-law, after the fire spread through the house, only the fire service ranks entered the house.
The woman said that the house was entirely engulfed, which prevented them from saving any items.
Her mother-in-law, she noted, was in the yard when she heard an explosion. The woman reportedly investigated and saw smoke emitting from the upper flat of the home. As a result, she raised an alarm and neighbours summoned the fire service.
Fogenay said the service responded and managed to extinguish the fire, which was contained to the building.
Asked what might have caused the fire, Fogenay said she did not have an idea but suspected the fire might be electrical in origin.
According to Sparman, three units, two from the Central Fire Station and one from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station, responded and extinguished the fire.
The owners of the home said they cannot put a figure to their losses but noted that their three-bedroom concrete house was furnished with modern amenities.
