A pensioner was burnt to death yesterday morning after a fire, suspected to have been caused by an unattended stove destroyed his Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home.
Dead is Rupert Williams, 90. He was visually impaired and was also an amputee.
The fire which started around 8.15am, gutted the single-flat, wooden structure which was situated at Lot 1325 Section B, Block X, Diamond, EBD within minutes.
Williams occupied the house with his daughter-in-law, Dorset Mac Cloud Solomon, his granddaughter, Esther Mac Cloud, who are both visiting from overseas, and his caretaker, Sandra Bowman, who only moved in on Wednesday.
At the time, he was alone at home.
Reports are that Dorset and Bowman left home early yesterday morning for Georgetown. Bowman had a doctor’s appointment while Dorset was going to follow up on Williams’ pension book.
As such, Williams was left in the care of Esther. However, Esther left the home and went to a nearby shop to purchase bread for Williams. Upon returning, she noticed fire coming from the house. An alarm was raised and residents of the neighbourhood rushed to her assistance. They later learnt that Williams was trapped in the house.
Due to the intensity of the fire, residents were unable to rescue Williams.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle yesterday told Stabroek News that upon arrival at the scene, the entire interior of the house was engulfed in fire.
He said reports later surfaced that an occupant was unaccounted for. As such, he said the scene was combed and the burnt remains of Williams were later found in the vicinity of a bedroom.
According to Gentle, investigations thus far revealed that the fire was caused by a stove which was left unattended.
“There is evidence that the fire started in the kitchen area where cooking was being done and a stove was left on,” Gentle said.
When Stabroek News visited the scene, Dorset was being comforted by relatives and neighbours.
She explained that Williams was ‘quarrelling’ about not receiving his pension book for some time now.
As such, she said she decided to journey to Georgetown yesterday morning to follow up on it.
She said she agreed to check to see if the pension book was available first and once it was, she would have arranged for Williams to travel to Georgetown to uplift same.
“……I said ‘you know them mightn’t give it to me’. So I walk with his ID card and my own and I said ‘dad, I am going to make sure it’s there first and then I am going to let Esther put you in a taxi and you will come down and meet me,’” Dorset explained.
Shortly after arriving in Georgetown, Dorset said she received a call from a relative who informed her that the house was on fire.
Dorset further noted that before she departed the country, she was training Bowman to take care of Williams.
“I am so hurt….I am going through a whole lot. I have nowhere to stay now. Everything is gone. God just take him away. We lost everything. Even if we did get him and everything else go down, we won’t have mind,” she cried.
Residents in the area told Stabroek News that they noticed fire coming from the house. Within minutes, they said it was completely engulfed.
They said after it was related that Williams was trapped in the house, they tried to assist in rescuing him but due to the flames, they were unable to.
