Grove man pulls grandchildren to safety after fire erupts

The remains of Linden Fields’ home.
The remains of Linden Fields’ home.

A  Grove man yesterday morning kicked down a door to pull his grandchildren to safety after fire erupted in their Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara home.

The blaze completely destroyed the three-bedroom home leaving 11 homeless including six children at 153 Samatta Point.

According to the owner of the home, Linden Fields, 60, the fire started at around 2.30 am in the bottom flat of his home.

Speaking to Stabroek News, he said that he was sleeping in the upper flat of the building when he was awakened by his grandchildren’s screams and cries.

“I wake up and look and see this big light and I ran down quickly… I kick open the front door and pull out the two year old from the  bed… the other grandchildren were in the corner screaming and after I bring out the baby… I went back inside for them,” he recounted.

Fields said that after he rescued his grandchildren he returned upstairs and collected his vehicle keys and began to move the vehicle.

“It all happened so fast I only saved the shorts I was wearing… nobody saved anything. I don’t know how the fire started,” he said, while noting that his children were not at home at the time of the fire.

The man said that the house was fully furnished with televisions, refrigerator, a computer, washing machine, power tools and other modern amenities.

Neighbours assisted in removing the vehicle that was parked in the yard despite the intense heat.

This newspaper was told that when the fire service arrived, the entire house was already engulfed in flames.

Touching on the fire service’s response, he said that the first tender arrived without any water while the second had to source water from a nearby trench after it ran out of water.

Fields, who is an elder in his church, and his family are currently being housed at the church manse. However, he said public assistance is welcomed.

Persons desirous of helping Fields’ family can contact him on 661 3392.