By: Andrew Carmichael
One person is now dead and another is homeless after a fire destroyed two houses at Managers Quarters Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Tuesday night.
The dead man has been identified as 43-year-old Tookant Deokharan, a teacher at Berbice Islamic School. Deokharan lived alone in the one-storey building which was owned by an overseas-based Guyanese.
Tuesday night’s fire also destroyed a two-story building owned and occupied by 75-year-old Amina Bacchus, leaving the pensioner homeless.
Residents say flames were initially seen coming from Deokharan’s home at about 22:00h.
In a statement, the fire department said it was alerted of the fire at 22:17h and two water tenders and seven firefighters were deployed.
It took about two hours to bring the blaze under control. The teacher’s charred remains were discovered just after midnight. It was found close to the back door which was said to have been locked, according to one of the firefighters at the scene of the fire.
Meanwhile, Bacchus was rescued from her home after residents broke the lock on the door to pull her from the building.
She told this publication that at about 22:00h on Tuesday night while brushing her teeth, she heard a crackling sound and looked up and saw the neighbour’s house on fire.
Eyewitnesses say the fire service arrived after the second building had started to burn.
The Rose Hall Fire Department is a stone’s throw away.
The Albion Sugar Factory fire department arrived on the scene with a small unit.
Subsequently, another tender from Rose Hall town arrived and they were eventually able to extinguish the flames but not before both buildings were flattened.
Firefighters also experienced difficulty accessing the buildings because of stalls left along the street by vendors who operate on Saturdays.
Meanwhile, Bacchus said that it was only in November that she renovated and repainted the interior of her house.
She said there was a new washing machine which was still in the box.
Deokharan, who had difficulty walking because of an injury to his right knee, is said to have spent the day at a cousin’s home where he reportedly had lunch and took a nap before leaving to go and provide home tuition to two 13-year-olds at Fyrish Village.
He was reportedly seen returning home shortly after 17:00h.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
