-over a dozen homeless
By Subhana Shiwmangal
An apartment building and a home at Lamaha squatting area were destroyed early yesterday morning by a fire that was allegedly started by a tenant who was upset at being robbed of her cellular phone.
The apartment building comprised eight units that were occupied by eight tenants.
One tenant, Leon James, said he was asleep when the fire woke him up at about 3am. He related that all he could do was just get up and scream for “Fire, fire, fire!” He lamented that he barely has any clothes since everything was destroyed in the fire; even his savings were burnt. “I was saving some money since January to now; every week I would put like $5,000 and if I get excess money, I would put $2,000 more, all burn up. I buy a brand-new generator that my friend help me to buy and that too, burn up in the fire. The television, furniture, meh stove; everything burn up in the furnish apartment. I only leff with the clothes I’m wearing.”
James noted that public-spirited persons summoned the fire service and they were able to put the fire out. He disclosed that three years ago he had lost his wife who died from smoke inhalation due to a fire.
He added that a young woman who resided in the front apartment had allegedly lit the fire and the police are currently looking for her. He made a plea for any assistance from the public to get back on his feet as he is now homeless with nowhere to go.
Otoley Whyte, who is the sister of the owner of the apartment building who is currently in Timehri, told Stabroek News that at about 01.10 hours yesterday, the tenant who occupied one of the front apartments informed her that she had lost the new phone she had recently purchased. The tenant explained that while she was on a bridge in the area drinking, she lent someone the phone to make a call and he rode away with it instead.
Whyte in response, advised her to report the matter to the police, but the woman disclosed that she had an ongoing police matter and as such did not want to do that.
Instead, she pleaded with the person to return the phone but he denied ever taking it.
Whyte said that the clearly upset woman threatened that, “if she does not get her phone back, she will burn … the building down.” Whyte said she jumped up after 3 am after she heard James shouting, “fire, fire.” She looked outside and saw that the fire was blazing from the front apartment that the woman occupied. It then spread to the other apartments and eventually completely destroyed the building. Whyte related that someone close to the woman confirmed that she did confess to setting her apartment on fire. She added that right now the woman is on the run and police are investigating the matter
Meanwhile, a house next to the building located at Lot 6 Lamaha Park was completely destroyed by the fire. Kassa Hodge, a technician, who operated a workshop while his sister-in-law operated a food business next door, told Stabroek News that his family of five along with his two children, lived in their home located at the back of the shop.
He said that early yesterday morning, he heard arguments coming from his next-door neighbours. After he fell asleep, he was awakened by his neighbours shouting, “Throw water, throw water!” When he looked outside his window, he saw fire and hurried to get a bucket of water to pour on the fire. Everyone was evacuated from the home. He added that he couldn’t estimate how much he and his family lost but his home was well furnished. Items belonging to customers were also destroyed by the fire. Hodge is currently seeking any help he can get from the public to rebuild his home as he and his family have nowhere to go.
