A 49-year-old man is now in a critical state as a result of consuming a poisonous substance, reportedly gramaxone, during the wee hours of Monday morning after his two storey Parika backdam home went up in flames.
Fighting for his life at the West Demerara Regional Hospital is father of three, Mohan Persaud.
Speaking to INews earlier today, the man’s eldest daughter, Shivani Persaud said that sometime after midnight, her father had been drinking and retired to bed in the upper flat of the home that he shared with his wife, and two other children.
However, the 17-year-old said that a lamp which was being used to light up the house, due to there being no electricity, was accidentally kicked to the ground by Persaud’s foot, as he was sleeping.
She recounted that her mother was at a neighbour’s home at the time, her younger sister was asleep and her brother was not at home.
It wasn’t long before the entire wooden structure became engulfed in flames. Fortunately, no one was injured from the fire.
However, as he saw his home of over 20 years being destroyed, Mohan Persaud, at that point, reportedly became frustrated and consumed the poisonous substance.
He was rushed to the medical facility around 01:00hrs.
The man’s daughter indicated that Persaud consumes alcohol on regular basis.
Meanwhile, residents in the Parika backdam area have since relayed a different version of the incident to INews.
According to one neighbour-who asked to remain anonymous- at the time of incident, Persaud was drunk and involved in a domestic dispute with his wife and it “was during his enraged state that he deliberately set the house alight.”
Police have confirmed that the fire was reported, and that investigations are ongoing.
