Fluctuating electricity has been blamed as the cause of the fire which claimed the life of Windsor Forest resident Rajendra Mohabir and gutted his property on Sunday afternoon.
A statement from the Guyana Fire Service yesterday said investigators have confirmed the cause of the fire. The blaze resulted from fluctuations in electricity which led to arcing and sparking at the breaker panel box and the subsequent igniting of nearby combustibles.
The charred remains of Mohabir called “Slowie” and “Uncle Raj” of Lot 194 Seventh 7th Street, Windsor Forest were found beneath the debris in the aftermath of the fire.
The Guyana Power and Light has been cited in the past for fires that occurred on the restoration of power.
Mohabir’s wife and sons were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Stabroek News understands that the man was discovered by firefighters in a crouching position on the stairs of the building.
He became trapped in the burning building having gone back in to search for his grandson. His grandson was however already out of the house.
The Guyana Fire Service yesterday said that in addition to the house being burnt, a wooden building located at Lot 197 suffered damage and a wooden shed at Lot 208 was also affected.
“Due to radiated heat from the building of origin, a GPL meter and 2 meters of PVC piping were destroyed, while a staircase and western wall were damaged. Additionally, a wooden and galvanized shed was slightly damaged, while a wooden fence located at Lot 208, Seventh Street, Windsor Forest, was destroyed,” the statement said.
Reports are that the building burst into flames at around 2 pm when electricity was restored to the community after a blackout.
Apart from the building being the dwelling place of Mohabir, his wife and two sons, it also housed a small supermarket and the Touching Your World Ministries Church.
Assistant Pastor Ricky Roopchand on Sunday told Stabroek News that he was at his home when the youths, who were in the church preparing for youth fellowship, saw sparks in the bottom flat of the building. They called him and informed him that Pastor Paul Mohabir’s home was on fire. (Pastor Paul is the dead man’s son.)
Stabroek News understands that there was an explosion followed by sparks resulting in the entire building being engulfed in flames.
“We rushed across to the home and it was fire all over. We couldn’t find Uncle Raj nowhere. So, some of us and public-spirited citizens started to break open a part where the bathroom was but we didn’t find him,” he related.
He explained that the house is grilled and that also prevented the older Mohabir from escaping in time.
