A fire of unknown origin on Thursday ravaged a two-storey wooden and concrete house and severely damaged another, leaving several persons counting their losses.
According to a Guyana Fire Service press release, a call was received at about 15:12 hours about a fire at Lot 93 Brutus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara. Three water tenders and one water carrier from the Central, West Ruimveldt, and Eccles Fire Station responded to the fire. A total of four jets were working in a relay system between Water Tender #107 and #115 using tank supply and open water sources to extinguish the blaze.
As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed leaving its caretaker Brutus (only name given) homeless. Another two-storey wooden and concrete building located at Lot 94 Brutus Street, Agricola, owned by Delvin Boyce and occupied by Floyd Boyce sustained severe damage to its top floor due to the radiated heat from the building where the blaze originated, leaving two persons homeless. Also affected by the intense heat were two houses located at Lot 94 (B) and Lot 95 Brutus Street Agricola.
In an interview with Stabroek News, the Boyce family recounted that the fire started at their neighbour. Floyd Boyce, the occupant of the two-storey house that was severely damaged, said that at the time of the fire he was not at home. Boyce said that he received a call while at work, informing him about the fire and when he arrived at the house, it was already in flames. Floyd was occupying the upper flat of the house while his sister was on the ground floor. Boyce is a Mayor and City Council worker and said that he is now counting his losses since nothing was saved from the fire.
Devlin Boyce, who was occupying the ground floor, said at the time of the fire she was sitting outside when a friend told her that smoke was coming from her neighbour’s house. At the time of the fire, Brutus was not at home. Devlin explained that they were observing the smoke until it became black. She added that within a few minutes they saw fire coming through the window and what appeared to be a gas bottle flew out of the window.
The fire escalated so quickly, she was forced to flee her home because the heat could not be contained. “When the fire started I didn’t thought that it would have meet over here, but things were pitching over here and that’s what cause this house to burn. When the fire service come the other house was almost finish burning and we house was already burning. It was blazing when fire service come, we couldn’t save nothing.” The woman disclosed that she had just launched her new business venture selling fried fish, fried chicken and chips. Her vending stand which was situated in the yard went up in flames. The clothes vendor said that all the clothes that she would usually sell at the market were destroyed in the fire and some by the water.
Meanwhile, two other houses located at Lot 94 (B) and Lot 95 Brutus Street Agricola, were slightly damaged. Karen Bacchus of Lot 95 said that she was on her bed when she smelt the smoke and when she went outside, she saw her neighbour’s house in flames. Bacchus is now counting her losses due to the intense radiated heat that destroyed her windows.
