Twenty persons are now homeless after a late afternoon fire completely destroy-ed a six-apartment building in Hunter Street, West La Penitence, Georgetown.

Antonio Isles

Antonio Isles, one of the occupants of the Lot 101 Hunter Street building, told this newspaper that some time around 5.30 pm yesterday, he noticed smoke and flames emanating from the apartment of another occupant.

According to him, the woman whose name he did not know, had gone home and was cooking when she fell asleep. The woman, residents said, is known to be a heavy drinker and smoker and it was reported that she fled the scene after the fire started.

A neighbour who requested anonymity said she was at home when she heard a loud explosive sound and quickly rushed out and saw the building on fire. She added that she immediately summoned the fire service which arrived some 20 minutes later and it took some 15 minutes to draw water from a near by trench before being able to tend to the fire.

Scores of persons had gathered and had formed a bucket brigade in an attempt to assist. However, despite their desperate efforts as well as the fire fighters’, they were unable to bring the fire under control and everything was destroyed.

One neighbour who identified himself only as Clifford told Stabroek News that after the fire started, he quickly rushed over to the house and rescued an elderly woman and two children who were asleep and unaware of what was happening.

Lamenting their losses, some of the occupants of the apartment building related that the only possessions they have left are the clothing on their backs. They were however relieved that no one was injured.

When Stabroek News arrived on the scene, the building had already been gutted by the inferno which residents said lasted for some 30 minutes.