Fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a two-flat three-bedroom house at Shieldstown, West Berbice around 6.30 pm on Friday, leaving a family of five homeless; the owner of the house is reportedly missing.

A distraught Shanti Elfreeda Kooblall (centre) holds her granddaughter while her son and daughter, Akash and Rona sit at her right and left respectively.

Yesterday, a tearful Shanti Elfreeda Kooblall told this newspaper that she could not estimate her losses but the house had been “well-furnished.” She said she left home around 3 pm for her mother-in-law’s house a few buildings away where she sells phoulorie and other snacks.

Her children, Akash, 24 and Rona, 10 as well as a granddaughter, two-year-old Ashmie were with her. She said her husband, Mooklall Kooblall, 47, was nowhere around while the house was burning and up to yesterday when this newspaper visited the scene he had not showed up.

Kooblall did not realize her house was on fire until she saw people running down the street and went out to investigate. She said she started to scream as she watched the destruction and lamented that “me ain’t save nothing.”

She was thankful that    her mother-in-law, Tetrie Kooblall provided space at her home for them to stay. Tetrie recalled sadly that she had purchased the house for her son and his wife over 20 years ago.

Rubble: All that is left of the Kooblalls’ home at Shieldstown

A neighbour, Sarojoni Khedoo, 61, said she and her family were watching television when they saw the fire through a crack in the wall and thought someone was burning garbage.

They decided to open the door and check nevertheless, and saw their neighbour’s house in flames.

Khedoo said she and her family immediately exited their home and in their haste could not find the gate key right away, causing some amount of panic.  They eventually sought refuge to a neighbour’s house opposite and watched as her son and other relatives doused their home, which had also started to get scorched.

“Me TV and CD player soak up but me thank God that me house save or else me woulda live on the road,” Khedoo said yesterday.

According to Khedoo, shortly after they were safely out on the street an electricity wire from a post fell into her yard.

She said they contacted the Guyana Power & Light and technicians arrived and fixed it.

The fire tender from the Blairmont Estate was also summoned and firefighters managed to put out the blaze at Kooblall’s house.