Richard José, a 47-year-old Venezuelan national, perished in a fire of unknown origin yesterday morning at Lot G 11/3 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) stated that at 3:31 am yesterday, firefighters from the La Grange Fire Station, along with a water tender and a water carrier responded to a building on fire. Upon arrival, they observed a two-storey house on fire, with the first floor fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze to the first floor of the building and minimise threats to nearby buildings.
The house was owned by 68-year-old Bernadette Gordon, who occupied it with 27-year-old Canaan Bacchus. As a result of the fire, the first floor of the building was destroyed, and José perished. According to the GFS report, at the time of the fire, no one was aware that José was occupying the building.
Additionally, two houses located at Lot G 11/3 Plantain Walk and Lot H 11 Plantain Walk, were also damaged due to radiated heat from the building on fire
Several windows on both houses were destroyed, and a section of the southern external wooden wall on the first floor of the second building was slightly damaged. Also affected was a Toyota Premio which had its rear lights destroyed due to radiated heat.
Fire prevention officers have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.
