According to Deputy Fire Chief, Kalamadeed Edoo, around 15:00 hours the fire station received a call that a house was on fire on Norton Street. Assistance was dispatched from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station and the central Georgetown Fire Station.
Upon arrival, the entire top floor of the building was on fire and had already caved in. The fire was also threatening the house of the neighbor to its right at Lot 61 ‘A’. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from completely destroying the neighboring house but nothing could be saved from the house at Lot 62.
Speaking to the media, resident of the house which was gutted, Gulliver (Quincy) McEwan said that he lives in the house with five others and his son.
“I was sitting in the yard downstairs about to soak down some clothes to do some washing of the laundry as it’s the weekend and I heard a ‘pow’ and when I raised my head I saw fire. I started shouting for my siblings and, by the time they ran out, the flame was just blazing, you couldn’t save anything,” he said.
McEwan said that the home was well-furnished with an expensive refrigerator, flat-screen television, two coolers, and groceries. The building is uninsured and McEwan said that he will have to rely on the grace of God to get back on his feet.
“[I feel bad] losing my home and all my life saving, and knowing in Guyana it’s not easy, working to achieve things especially when you’re not from the normal public and you’re from an LGBT population where limited resources is given to this community, you could imagine,” he said.
Meanwhile, the woman who lives in the neighboring house with four others said that she was at home at the time of the fire. “I just saw smoke coming through my window [and] heard the neighbors just yelling and we came out and the house was on fire and I just grabbed what I could and exited the building. We’re not sure what has been damaged as yet,” she said.
The Deputy Fire Chief has assured that the origin of the fire is now under investigation.
