Five persons are now homeless following a fire at their Lot 2 Herstelling New Scheme, East Bank Demerara residence yesterday afternoon.
Sunil Hussain, an occupant of the home, during an interview with Stabroek News stated that he and his reputed wife were asleep when the fire started at about 3pm.
The man said he became aware of the fire after he started smelling smoke. Upon checking, he noticed that the house was filled with thick smoke coming from his uncle’s bedroom located in the middle section of the house.
Hussain said, he held his wife’s hand and exited the home, immediately alerting the persons who were imbibing alcohol outside.
The man explained that there is no electricity in the room where the fire started and opined that someone may have started the fire.
Hussain said persons attempted to save items from the house but were unsuccessful.
He is unsure where he will reside now that his home has been destroyed. He is now seeking the public’s help for much-needed assistance for his family which includes his three-week-old baby boy.
One of the neighbours, Maureen Harvey, in an invited comment to Stabroek News explained that she was on her way to Hussain’s house when she observed that the second bedroom was on fire.
The woman said she began screaming and running towards the burning house while calling for Hussain’s reputed wife. Her loud screams alerted residents in the street and they began exiting their homes.
Harvey who is close to Hussain’s wife and sees her as a daughter, told this newspaper that the young mother will stay with her until the couple is able to start life on their own again.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene of the fire, neighbours were seen standing by as fire-fighters continued to douse the flat concrete structure. Two relatives were also seen in the yard assisting the fire-fighters.
An eyewitness told this newspaper that the fire-fighters arrived on the scene about half an hour after being summoned, and recalled that it wasn’t until the second fire truck arrived that attempts were made to put out the fire.
Anyone interested in assisting the family can contact Sunil Hussain or Madianti Latchman on 677-6050.
