Six persons were rendered homeless in Essequibo after a fire completely gutted their Aurora Village home on Saturday afternoon.
BIG Smith News Watch was told that the fire started sometime around 17:00hrs in the upper flat of the building which is said to be owned by one Sharifan Gafoor and who resides with her son, daughter, a son in law and a grandchild.
Azeez Gafoor, a relative of the affected family stated that the fire started less than five he left home. He said that while at a short distance away from the home, he noticed smoke coming from the roof of the house and he turned back.
“At the time we de walking out to the road going and drop off some grandkids that were visiting. So nobody really was at home. And I see the smoke black, black coming from the house. My sister [Sharifan Gafoor] run upstairs but she couldn’t even make it in the house because was too much smoke. Within fifteen minutes to half hour the house done burn down flat.” Azeez Gafoor told BIG Smith News Watch.
The fire had also spread partially, to a nearby house, but was extinguished by neighbors, who pumped water from the nearby Essequibo River.
An electrical spark is suspected to have been the cause of the fire starting and this is according to Javid Gafoor, an occupant of the house. He said that he believes the fire was sparked from some electrical failure since it started in the room that housed the electrical breakers and main switch.
“One of the grandsons was home and he said he see the wire spark up in front the house. From there the fire started and it spread. We didn’t get to save anything except the clothes that we had on. All the furniture, and clothes, documents everything burn up.” BIG Smith News Watch was told.
Neighbors said that they are quite disappointed in the response time by the Guyana Fire Service but understandably noted that it takes at least thirty minutes from Anna Regina to the site of the fire.
Javid said that damage is estimated to be as much as seven million dollars and that he hopes some sort of compensation can be given on behalf of the Guyana Power and Light, following investigations. The Anna Regina Fire Department said that investigations are still ongoing.