West Coast Berbice man severely burnt as fire destroys house

The rubble after the fire
The rubble after the fire

A West Coast Berbice man has been admitted to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, after he was caught in a blaze of unknown origin which gutted his entire two-storey wooden house early yesterday morning.

Jaikarran Sahadeo, 55, of Lot 99, Section D, Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, barely escaped from the fire through a window, after which his neighbours assisted him out of the yard at around 1:30 am. However, before the escape, Sahadeo had come into contact with the flames and sustained severe burns on his back, legs, hands and other parts of the body.

Stabroek News was told, that the man and his sister, Indira Sahadeo, 50, who is now homeless, occupied the lower flat of the building.  Indira told this newspaper that she had stayed over on Tuesday, at a family friend’s house, three doors away from their abode.

According to information gathered, at around 1:00 am yesterday, neighbours heard screams coming from the house, and upon taking a further look, discovered smoke and flames emanating from the lower flat of the building. Indira explained that the neighbours informed her of the blaze, however, before she arrived, her brother had already been rescued and taken to hospital.

Sahadeo was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital, and was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where his condition is listed as serious but stable.

Residents expressed their disappointment at the fire service which they claim arrived without water some 30 minutes after being phoned.

“Them had to go back and full water, and come back,” one resident explained.