A 72-year-old pensioner is now left counting her losses after her Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home went up in flames on Wednesday morning.
Joycelyn McBean was at home at the Lot 76 Third Street, Haslington North home with her daughter and four grandchildren when the fire of unknown origin started around 11:00h.
Reports are the pensioner and her family were in the upper flat of the two-storey concrete house when they began to smell smoke.
INews understands that by that time, another grandchild of the woman, Jevon McBean, who lives nearby saw part of the top flat of the house engulfed in flames and contacted the Guyana Fire Service.
The young man rushed over to the house where he assisted his relatives to safety. With assistance from neighbours, the family was able to save some furniture and other valuables. However, by the time the Fire Service arrived on the scene, the upper flat of the building was already destroyed. Part of the bottom flat was, however, saved.
The pensioner is estimating her losses to be in excess of $40 million. The Fire Service has since launched an investigation.
