The fire which claimed the life of 90-year-old Rupert Williams of Diamond Housing Scheme was reportedly caused by an unattended stove which was lit.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told Village Voice News that the Guyana Fire Service’s investigations have thus far indicated that there was a pot on the lit stove which was left unattended.
“A stove was left unattended while one of the occupants [of the house] left and went out to a shop, and spent a little inordinate time and the contents in the pot burnt out and melted down, and it spread to the floor and caught afire [the house],” Gentle explained.
Initially, it was alleged that the elderly man may have caused the fire when he attempted to light a cigarette but the Fire Chief said the evidence indicates otherwise.
“It doesn’t appear so, the evidence is not pointing to that, it is pointing where the fire started from, and that’s in the kitchen by the stove,” Gentle said.
While the house was occupied by four persons, only Williams was home at the time of the fire.
Gentle said the Guyana Fire Service received report of the fire at 08:18h on January 7, 2021 and immediately dispatched units to 17th Street, Diamond Housing Scheme.
