Several persons were rendered homeless after a Sunday morning fire destroyed at least two range houses in Tucville, Georgetown.
The fire started in the upper flat of the Lot 3-C Tucville Terrace House that was occupied by 33-year-old Tonya George and her four children.
Guyana Times understands that all five members were at home at the time the fire started in one of the bedrooms.
George’s sister told this publication that the distraught woman was unsure of what caused the inferno that completely destroyed the house and everything inside since the family.
After an alarm was raised about the fire, residents rushed out and attempted to put out the blaze but were unable to prevent it from spreading to the neighbouring range houses.
While the Lot 3-D house only suffered a scorched bedroom in the upper flat, the upstairs of the Lot 3-B was completely destroyed by the fire and the lower flat suffered extensive water damage.
Maureen Daniels-Clarke, who along with her disabled husband, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren lives in the house, told this newspaper that she was in lower flat when someone alerted them about the fire.
“When I came out, I saw the house next door on fire and there was smoke coming out from upstairs (in my house),” the elderly woman related. She recalled running in her house and when she looked up the stairs the upper flat was filled with thick smoke.
“We couldn’t do anything or save anything, we just run out,” Daniels-Clarke stated. She further told this newspaper that the fire fighters arrived about 20 minutes later but by that time her entire upstairs was engulfed in the blaze.
Guyana Times understands that three fire tenders, including one from the Guyana Prisons Service, responded to the report and managed to douse the blaze after some time.
Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched by the Guyana Fire Service to determine the origin of the fire. (Vahnu Manikchand)
