A fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a North Sophia, Georgetown home on Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least four persons homeless.
Based on reports received, the Lot E91 North Sophia home was being occupied by 21-year-old Matthew Gravesande, his child’s mother and child, along with his sister whom he identified as a prison warden.
According to Gravesande, he and his sister were at work when they were informed around 14:30hrs that their wooden one storey home was on fire. He told Inews that his child’s mother had left the home with their one-year-old child to visit another relative some days ago.
Eyewitnesses at the scene recalled seeing smoke emanating from the home and notified Gravesande’s sister who lived in the same yard as well as the fire service.
A brief water bucket brigade had commenced by the mother of the four young children and some neighbours. However, this proved futile and by the time the fire fighters arrived almost one hour later, the home had already been burnt to the ground.
Firefighters at the scene were bewildered as to how the fire began, noting that the home had no electricity.
“They said they ain’t had nothing cooking or nothing burning so how this house catch fire?” one fire fighter was heard pondering out loud.
The fire reportedly began in the room which was occupied by the prison warden, at the rear of the home.
Investigations are ongoing. (Ramona Luthi)
