Five persons are now homeless following a fire yesterday in West Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara.
Yesterday at 1:12 pm the GFS received a call about a fire at Lot 130 Fourth Street.
A release from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said that water tenders #81, #116 and crews under the command of Sub-officer Fraser from the Leonora Fire Station were immediately dispatched to the location with the first tender arriving on the scene at 13:21 p.m.
The building involved was a two-storey wooden and concrete house owned by Mohamed Safdur and occupied by Shazim Safdur and his four family members.
By the time the fire was extinguished the building and its contents had been destroyed leaving its five occupants homeless.
The GFS release said that the purported cause of the fire is a breakdown of electrical installation resulting in arcing and sparking which ignited nearby combustibles and spread throughout the building.
Two jets working from water tenders #81 and #116 tank supplies were used to put out the fire.
The GFS said that electrical fires can result from faults in electrical systems or appliances.
Common causes include overloaded circuits, faulty wiring, and damaged cords.
Signs may include burning smells, flickering lights, or sparks.
It provided advice on what to do if an electrical fire occurs:
-Cut the power: safely turn off the power supply to the affected area, if possible.
-Use a Fire Extinguisher: If you have a suitable fire extinguisher, use it from a safe distance. Never use water on an electrical fire.
-If the fire is spreading or you cannot control it, evacuate immediately.
-Dial 912 to report the fire.
