A toddler perished on Thursday afternoon when a Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) house went up in flames, also leaving nine homeless.
According to reports, the fire started at about 02:00h at the Lot 83 Agriculture Road, Mon Repos building taking the life of one-year-old, Mahim Rampersaud.
INews understand that Rampersaud, was sleeping in the upper flat of the two-storied house in the company of his four-year-old sister, Amy Rampersaud when the fire broke out.
Neighbours were suddenly alerted by thick, dark smoke emanating from the house and immediately raised an alarm.
However, by the time public spirited persons rushed to the scene to rescue the children, it was too later for the toddler. However, his sister came and other family members who were at home in the lower flat of the building escaped unhurt.
When this online publication arrived at the scene, a large crowd had gathered as fire fires battled the flames.
While the upper flat of the concrete and wooden structure was completely destroyed, some sections of the lower flat and an adjoining shed were salvaged.
The mother of the now dead child, Mala Rampersaud was inconsolable in her grief as she explained that she received a call while at work and instantaneously rushed home. By that time, the house was already ravaged and adding to her distress, she was told that her son had burned to death.
“I get the call and then I come home right away…we lost a lot,” the distraught woman stated.
Persons at the scene explained that the fire service arrived promptly but did not have sufficient water to douse the flames. As such, it took some time to source water from nearby trenches.
The family estimates their losses in the millions and still could not determine what could have caused the fire.
The Guyana Fire Service have since launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
