-neighbours in flaming row

Fire of unknown origin yesterday morning reduced a George Street, Werk-en-Rust house to ashes even as the lone occupant and his immediate neighbour, whose house was partially damaged in the blaze, blamed each other.

When this newspaper arrived on the scene, some 15 minutes after the fire started, members of the fire service were trying to save a neighbouring house as police ranks cordoned off that section of George Street and tried to maintain order at the scene after a huge crowd gathered to get a glimpse of the fire which completely destroyed the small two-flat building within the space of 20 minutes.

The inside of Dexter Deflorimonte’s home which was damaged by the fire at his neighbour’s house.

According to Sean Stephenson, the lone occupant of the house at Lot 23 George Street, he was at work yesterday morning around 11:15 when some children in the area arrived at his workplace, located a few blocks away from the scene of the fire, and told him that his home was ablaze. His version was denied by his neighbour. Stephenson, who does odd jobs around the area, said when he arrived at the scene the house was engulfed in flames and he was unable to save any of his belongings, which included personal documents, a few pieces of furniture and his clothing. The man said he had been living in the one-bedroom house for over 38 years  noting that the owner of the property, his elderly grandmother  who lives at a senior citizens’ home in the city, left him in charge of her home after moving out some years ago. The man said the house had been without electricity for a number of years and stated that he and another brother lived in it but the brother is now “with the government at Lot 12 Camp Street”. When questioned by police officers on the scene as to his whereabouts when the fire started, the man said he was at work and alleged that the fire started at his neighbour’s home.

The man’s neighbor, Dexter Deflorimonte  became enraged at Stephenson’s assertions  and during an ensuing battle, the  two men had to be separated by police ranks on the scene. Deflorimonte told Stabroek News that he was sitting on his verandah talking to an uncle when he noticed Stephenson running out of his yard around 11 am yesterday. He said when he looked to the side of his home he noticed smoke emanating from his neighbour’s home and following an alert, he and other neighbours ran out to assist in putting out the blaze. The man said soon after, the fire service was notified and a fire truck arrived on the scene some 15 to 20 minutes

The lone occupant of the burnt building, Sean Stephenson speaking at the scene of the fire.

later.

A visibly upset Deflorimonte said the fire destroyed the left side of his house in addition to a few pieces of furniture including a furniture suite and a cabinet which were in his living room. He said Stephenson and ‘junkies’ would congregate at the now burnt building and ‘smoke weed’. The man, whose overseas–based mother owns the property, estimated losses amounting to millions of dollars following the fire. This newspaper observed the damaged left side wall and part of the roof of Deflorimonte’s home following the blaze as water used by the fire service to put out the blaze, flooded parts of the upper and lower section of the house.

Stephenson was further questioned and then taken away from the scene by police officers as firemen searched through the remains of his home to determine the cause of the fire.

Members of the Guyana Relief Council, including that unit’s Shelter Administrator Donald Mentis were also at the scene of the fire to assess the situation. A member of the organization told Stabroek News that she and her colleagues were on an errand in the area when they noticed the house on fire.

The remains of the building following the fire and the burnt wall to the right.

She said the organization would normally assist persons whose homes are destroyed by fire by providing shelter at its Ruimveldt headquarters and the organization also provides assistance in any other possible area.