As investigations continue, the families affected by Tuesday night’s incident are struggling to recover. Actor Henry Rodney and his family and the Gajraj family were left homeless. The house in which Rodney resided is owned by Dolphine Joseph who resides in the US. Joseph’s sister Ashanti Goodridge lived in the lower flat of the building alone. She reportedly fled from the building after the fire started.
Gajraj’s and Rodney’s homes were located next to each other behind two rows of houses located on Waterloo Street, between Church and Quamina streets. All the houses in that block are listed as Lot 137.
When Stabroek News revisited the scene yesterday neighbours said the Gajraj family was with relatives. Rodney, who was there with several friends and relatives, said he has lost millions to the fire.
It was Rodney who first alleged that the fire was started by a woman. The actor had said that he was in his upper flat apartment when he heard some “sounds” in the yard. It was these sounds, Rodney said, which prompted him to look out of a side window. He reported seeing the woman flee the yard before seeing flames.
Rodney and Gajraj were unable to retrieve anything from their damaged homes.
Meanwhile, three other houses located in front, at the side and behind Rodney’s home were also scorched. The families who live in front and behind Rodney’s destroyed home could be seen cleaning out the mess left behind.
Carmen Elizabeth Morrison, a woman in her 80s, was at home on Tuesday night with her granddaughters when the fire started. Public-spirited citizens, the woman’s grandchildren said, fetched her from the yard. They live behind Rodney’s place.
“We are lucky to have our house,” one of Morrison’s grandchildren told Stabroek News yesterday afternoon. “It was the quick work by the firemen who soaked our house that prevented it from burning with the rest…it was a terrifying experience.
Morrison’s front windows were shattered by the heat of the blaze that night. Her furniture and other possessions were damaged by the water used to douse the fire. However, despite her losses the woman is thankful that her house was saved.
Latchman Singh and his family were also forced to leave their house and possessions behind Tuesday night when they became aware of the fire.
“The heat,” Singh said, “was just too much man…we didn’t have time to think or to grab anything. We just rush out and pray that the fire didn’t burn our house to the ground.”
The rear of Singh’s house was scorched and some windows shattered by the heat. Damage was kept to a minimum.
“Just the water that get in the house and lil heat that catch the back damaged it some but that is it…I am just glad that everything is alright,” the man said.
