A family of five, including children, are now homeless after a fire gutted their Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown home on Tuesday.
Guyana Fire Service Station Officer Clive McDonald, told reporters that they received a call at the operations room about 14:30h, notifying them of a fire at Jasmine Lane, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, and immediately dispatched a fire tender from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station, and two from the Central Fire Station.
He said upon their arrival, the two-storey wooden building was engulfed in flames and his ranks immediately went into action to stop the fire from spreading.
“Subsequently, two tenders from Central Fire Station arrived and they also went into action to contain the fire… a great work has been done, because the massive destruction has only taken place from the roof, it was collapsed, and the internal of the building…” he explained.
As it relates to the origin of the fire, McDonald said they have some theories and would work to determine the cause. He added that the Fire Service would have to conclude their investigation.
“Preliminary, it looks as though the children were playing with matches… the fire started from the north- eastern corner of the building and investigations so far have proven that some children were in that area before,” he said.
However, the family is claiming that the fire may have been of electrical origin, and was not caused by the use of matches.
Reports are that one of the adult occupants of the home was downstairs with the children as they were playing with a bird they had purchased, when the house went up in flames.
Based on reports received, family members were unable to save anything. There were no reports of injuries.
