A fire suspected to be arson completely destroy-ed a house and minibus at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice on Monday afternoon leaving the occupants homeless, with millions of dollars in losses and contemplating their next move.
Raylen Vanlonge Hughes, 24, her husband, Indall Hughes, 26, and their two children aged six and three years old occupied the two-storey, two-bedroom fully furnished house at the location for the last seven years.
Raylen Hughes said she was not at home when the fire started. “I get a call from my colleague that she heard my house on fire and I call my neighbor and she said yes and she heard that they not finding my husband and the children by my mother.”
She said she immediately rushed home but when she arrived her entire house and minibus were already destroyed. “When I came home everything was flat,” the emotional woman relayed.
Meanwhile, as of yesterday afternoon, she had not been able to contact her husband. She said that the last time she saw him was around 2 pm on Sunday. “He sister seh them get on to him but I haven’t been able to,” she said.
Based on the information gathered, the couple had an issue and the woman, who is studying to become a pharmacy assistant, left the house for some time.
She said she had purchased the minibus which was also destroyed in the fire about two years ago to transport vegetables to sell in Georgetown. The couple was in the business of buying and selling produce.
Divisional Fire Officer Cortland Harry told reporters that based on investigations the fire was maliciously set by someone unknown. He stressed that the investigation is continuing.
