A family of seven of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice is now homeless after fire of unknown origin destroyed their two-flat, two-bedroom wooden home last evening.
The fire which started around 6:10 pm was seen coming from a bedroom and quickly spread to other parts of the house.
The house belonged to a pensioner, Ragbeer, 67, and was also occupied by his son, Harinarine Ragbeer, 32, his wife, Dhanmattie Harinarine, 30 and their four children who are below the age of 10.
The building is without electricity and Harinarine said she was out on the landing preparing to light the lamp when she smelt something burning.
She woke her husband, a cane-harvester who was sleeping in another bedroom. They then rushed to his father’s room where the smell was coming from and “when he pushed open the door we see the fire.”
They grabbed a half-filled pail of water and tried to douse the blaze but it was no match and quickly spread to other parts of the house.
She lamented that they were unable to save anything and that all they have are the clothes they were wearing. They would be staying with neighbours and relatives in the meantime.
At the time of the fire the three older children were out playing in a relative’s yard nearby and only the 17-month-old was at home with the adults. Ragbeer was in the lower flat.
Chandrawattie ‘Sandra’ Ragbeer, a sister who lives next door was thankful that her house was saved.
She heard shouts of fire and went around to the back of her house to investigate. She then noticed that it was coming from the bedroom of her father’s house.
She left to call her brother, Sohanlall ‘Rakesh’ Ragbeer who lived nearby and by the time she got back the entire house was engulfed.
Sohanlall said he rushed to the scene but could not do anything to save the building. He and other persons formed a bucket brigade and focused on saving Chandrawattie’s house.
The windows on one section were destroyed in the process but they are unable to access what damage was done to the electronics and appliances in the woman’s home.
“I thank God, the Almighty that the breeze was blowing in the opposite direction and we got a chance to save the other house”, Sohanlall said. He was grateful to all the residents who ran out and rendered assistance.
