A suspected electrical fire on Saturday evening completely destroyed a two-storey house in Betsy Ground Village, East Canje Berbice, leaving a mother, her two children, grandchild and nephew homeless.
According to information gathered, Zamila Khan resided in the wooden and concrete house with her children ages 14, 12, her nephew, 13, and her grandchild, 8. The house is owned by a pensioner of the said village.
Stabroek News was told that around 10 pm on Saturday, neighbours started to notice sparks coming from the Guyana Power and Light utility pole located in front of the house. Several minutes after, neighbours noticed smoke emerging from the upper flat of Khan’s house.
The Guyana Fire Service was immediately phoned but before they could arrive the entire upper flat of the house was already engulfed in flames, residents said yesterday.
Khan, who operates a stand on the public road, said, that she was returning home when she saw a “bright light” and thought persons were burning “Holika” for Phagwah in the area. However, as she got closer she noticed that her house was on fire.
The owner yesterday averaged the loss to be around $3.2m, as he noted that the house was not insured.
The Guyana Fire Service has since launched an investigation.
