A fire during the wee hours of yesterday gutted the top flat of a North-East La Penitence, Georgetown home which was occupied by two sisters who are visiting from the US.
The tenants who reside in the bottom flat of the house have suffered serious water damage.
Stabroek News was told that the fire started at approximately 3.00 am. Fire Chief Marlon Gentle yesterday told this newspaper that investigators believe the fire may have started from “a candle or another lighted object that was in house.”
Gentle yesterday told Stabroek News that the fire started in the top flat of the building which was at the time occupied by two sisters who are on vacation here. Stabroek News understands that the top flat has no electricity.
Meanwhile, the tenants yesterday accused the firemen of stealing an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a tablet and US$200. Responding to the allegations, Gentle said the fire service has launched an investigation into the matter. He however noted that at the time of the fire several persons were moving freely around the scene assisting.
The Fire Chief also stated that investigators have not been able take a detailed statement from the tenant who has been making the allegations.
“While we do not condone these actions, it should be based on some merit. In this case, the story seems to be changing and we are unable to get a statement from the tenants,” Gentle said while acknowledging that in the past some fire-fighters would have been found culpable after such allegations.
“The statements were made after the tenant from the downstairs asked to go back to her apartment and she was accompanied by two officers, she went to the wardrobe which was secured and opened it and retrieved some items. But after that she recognised the television was moved. Fire-fighters moved it since it could have been damaged by the water used to put out the fire. And that was when the allegations were made,” Gentle said.
He added that following the allegations, several checks were made but they were unable to find any substantial evidence to implicate the firemen.
“These statements can be demoralising to officers and affect how they do their work. We need persons to be factual and cooperate with us during an investigation if they are going to make such allegations,” he added.
Additionally, Gentle said public-spirited citizens who arrived on the scene first rendered assistance to the sisters by erecting a scaffold and safely got them out of the burning building.
One of occupants of the bottom flat of the house told Stabroek News that at around 3.00 he smelt something burning and made several checks around the apartment he and his family occupied. However, after he was unable to find where the acrid smell was coming from, he woke his mother and grandmother and informed them.
“But when they get up we started to hear a set of noise upstairs. Things were falling down and we called up but didn’t get any answer. When I checked outside I see the fire and tell my mother and we ran out,” the young man explained.
He added that within five minutes the entire top flat was consumed by the fire and assistance had to be given to the sisters who are in their 60’s.
Many persons, he noted, responded and the fire service arrived in a timely manner and put out the blaze. The fire service’s prompt action resulted in the fire being contained to the top flat of the building.
The occupants of the bottom flat however suffered severe water damage and losses.
