A fire, ignited by a child playing with a lighter, destroyed the upper flat of a La Penitence house yesterday morning, leaving one family displaced and another with losses from water damage.
Naomi Roberts, who was living in the upper flat of the Lot 74 Castello Housing Scheme, La Penitence property, told Stabroek News that the fire was started by her three-year-old son, who was playing with a lighter unbeknownst to her.
The fire started around 8.40 am.
Roberts noted that at the time she was in the kitchen cooking. It was her daughter who alerted her that their home was on fire.
According to the woman, her son apparently took the lighter and went into the bedroom, where he lit a mattress.
“I didn’t know my son had the lighter. I didn’t see when he went under the bed. Is when my daughter [told] me, the fire was already big because he light the mattress,” said the distressed woman.
Roberts stated that she hurriedly tried to gather buckets of water to put out the fire but the flames continued to spread and she had to rush out of the house with her two children. No one was injured in the fire.
Although the fire service responded promptly, the woman said that they were unable to save anything.
Another family living in the lower half of the house reported severe water damage. No one from the lower flat sustained any injuries
Meanwhile, Roberts made an appeal for help to anyone who is willing to assist her and her children. She can be reached on 608-3013 or 696-4071.
