At least two persons are now left homeless following a fire of unknown origin on a Durban Street, Georgetown home earlier today.
According to the owner of the home, 66-year-old Lennox Smith, he had left for a doctor’s appointment at around 06:00hrs on Monday morning.
He noted that he resided alone with his grandson, who is a clerk attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
At the time of the fire- said to be around 09:20hrs- no one was present in the two storey mostly wooden structure.
Smith explained to media operatives that while at his doctor’s appointment, he began receiving several calls from numbers which were unknown to him and as such, he did not answer.
However, upon observing that a familiar neighbour was contacting him, the 66-year-old man said he answered his mobile phone, only to be given the horrifying news that his home of almost 27 years was in flames.
“I tried to meet home as fast as possible,” the visibly distraught man said.
At the scene of the fire, many eyewitnesses ran to greet the media with complaints that they had contacted the Guyana Fire Service as soon as smoke was seen emanating from the building but they [GFS] had not yet arrived.
The Fire Service reached the scene around 10:00hrs and persons are of the opinion that if they had acted more promptly, the house could have been saved.
A house located west of the burning building was also significantly scorched from the fire.
Inews was informed that the only occupant of that home was an elderly woman.
An investigation has been launched. (Ramona Luthi)
