Fire of unknown origin flattened a one-flat shack at Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice yesterday, leaving a woman and her son homeless.

‘Minnie

The woman who gave her name as ‘Minnie,’ was at a friend’s house nearby when she saw the flames but did not know they were coming from her house. It was not until she heard the fire tenders from the Blairmont Sugar Estate and the Onverwagt Fire Service that she and the friend, Shireen Khan, decided to investigate. The firefighters were, however, unable to save the house which was already engulfed.

In tears the 68-year-old woman told this newspaper, “Me house burn down flat and me nah gat nothing now; everything burn. Me nah have nowhere to go now…”

But as she spoke to this newspaper, residents who had gathered around to comfort her assured her that they would provide her with food and shelter. They also promised to assist her with materials to knock up another shack.

Her son, Eric ‘Terry’ Mootoo, 34, a labourer, told this newspaper that he left home yesterday morning to go to the backdam to work at a rice field. He later went to the rum shop to have a “drink” and it was there that a friend informed him that his house was on fire.

He too said that by the time he got there the shack was already burnt and he lost all his personal belongings.

A neighbour, Surujnauth Raghoo, 55, told Stabroek News that he was relaxing in his hammock when he noticed fire coming from the house and he immediately alerted the neighbours. He said too that by then the headmistress of the Cotton Tree Primary School became aware of the fire and telephoned the fire service. Students of the school panicked and ran out of the building, this newspaper was told.

Raghoo said he and other residents formed a bucket brigade and tried in vain to save the house.