A Guyana Fire Service (GFS) investigation has found that an unattended candle was the cause of the fire that destroyed a two-storey apartment building at Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust on Thursday night.
In a statement issued on Friday, the GFS said it was alerted about the fire after receiving a call at 20:55 hrs on Thursday evening about the fire at Lot 59 Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown.
Water Tenders from Central Fire Station, West Ruimveldt Fire Station and the Alberttown Fire Station were immediately dispatched to fight the blaze.
The two-storey wooden building was owned by 74-year-old June Bowman, who occupied the top floor with three other persons. The bottom flat, which consisted of two apartments, was occupied by a total of eight persons.
The GFS said the purported cause of the fire was an unattended lit candle, which fell and ignited nearby combustible materials.
As a result of the fire, the entire building and its contents were destroyed.
This newspaper visited the site yesterday and Bowman said that she is currently staying with her sister. She explained that she was asleep at the time the fire started and was awakened by her grandchildren, who lived with her. She said that they rushed her out of the house but they were unable to save anything from the house, including their appliances and furniture.
A relative who was with Bowman said that a man of unsound mind and who is also homeless would often stay in the yard. They had suspected that the man may have fallen asleep with something lit.
The relative also said that the fire service had no access to the yard because there was only a narrow entrance into the yard and the house was located behind another building.
The fire caused the top floor to collapse into the bottom floor but the stairway still remained in place. The frame of the house is also partially, standing, although it was scorched. The fence and houses surrounding the destroyed house were also scorched.
There is also a nearby shack where another man stays but it was not caught in the inferno on Thursday.
On Thursday, this newspaper spoke to a security guard at the Ashmin’s Trading compound on High Street, and he related that the fire started at about 8.30 pm and quickly destroyed the home. Fire-fighters tackled the fire from above by climbing onto the fence of the building. Some fire fighters were also seen inside of the compound trying to prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby houses. A shortage of water was evident but persons assisted by means of a bucket brigade. A pressure washer was also set up to aid in containing the blaze.
In wake of the circumstances that caused the fire, the GFS yesterday encouraged persons to exercise caution when using lamps, candles, mosquito coils, lighters and matches. The release said that persons should ensure that these items are placed a safe distance away from combustible materials and out of the reach of children at all times. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers were also advised as the GFS said they are vital for alerting persons of heavy smoke in buildings and can help to control the fire before the fire service arrives.
Meanwhile, Bowman said she would be grateful for any help at this time and she was hopeful that the government will render assistance. Persons who want to help Bowman can contact her through her sister, Esther Sutherland, on 231-5369.
