Twelve persons were left homeless after a fire on Wednesday destroyed two homes at Limlair Village Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
The fire of unknown origin destroyed a two storey house occupied by a nurse on the upper flat and a farmer on the lower flat. Flames were initially seen at about 4:30h.
Several persons were living next door in a wooden building which was badly damaged.
Dale kyte who lived in that building along with six others including her 76-year-old mother and a 2-year-old baby, told this publication that she was awoken by crackling sounds which kept getting louder.
According to the woman, after awhile she decided to open her eyes and saw a glare coming from the window. When she pulled the window curtain flames were seen in the upper flat on the house next door.
“I call out to my neighbour and told him that fire was upstairs.”
Claudia Ross 56, a nurse attached to the Port Mourant Hospital related that on Christmas Day she spent most of the day at her mother’s home.
She said she went to bed at about 21:00h and when she awoke to use the bathroom she turned off the kitchen light and fairy lights in the house.
“I went back and I sleep and then I heard my brother from downstairs calling me. So when I open my eyes and jump up I see flames in the house. So I run to the door but I could not get it opened; forgetting that I had turned the latch. So I opened the slide door and go out on the verandah.”
According to Ross, she lost everything.
Meanwhile, the lower flat was occupied by her brother who is a farmer, his wife and two children.
Kyte noted that the fire service arrived more than thirty minutes after the alarm was raised.
“We really need a Fire Service at Whim or in Alness. After they call out the nurse upstairs, the boys start a bucket brigade but that was not good enough” said Kyte.
