Contractor loses home in Crane fire

A contractor is now counting his losses after his home went up in flames early yesterday morning at Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara.

Patrick White, 40, of 75 Crane Housing Scheme, told Stabroek News that the fire started in the bottom flat of the two-storey house.

Although the cause of the fire is still not determined, White said that he is sure that it started at the stove in the bottom flat, which he had rented to a couple.

The remains of Patrick White’s home
The remains of Patrick White’s home

White said only the female tenant was present on Thursday night. “About 7 Thursday night me and my girlfriend was watching news and the girl from downstairs come and said she wanted to talk to my girlfriend.

So they go on the veranda and talk. After about couple minutes, she [his girlfriend] come inside and said they going on the road to get something to drink or so,” he added.

He said the two women left and they did not return until after the fire had started.

According to White, around 1 am, while he was in his bed, he heard noise in the kitchen and felt heat coming from below him. “I rush out the room and I feel the heat and I see the smoke and the fire, so I didn’t think twice. I run to the veranda and I jump out ’cause I couldn’t do anything,” he explained.

While no one was injured, White said he had only recently bought a bed and a music set on hire purchase from Lucky Dollar and they went up in the blaze.

The man was unable to save any of his property. “I don’t know exactly what she had down there but I know she had a new fridge and other stuff but I don’t know how much she lost,” he said of the tenant.

White said the fire service took about 30 minutes to arrive but noted that even if they had gotten there before they couldn’t have saved anything.