…in two fires hours apart

WITHIN hours apart on Tuesday, the Bartica Town experienced two major fires that resulted in the death of a centenarian and major losses at the regional garage.
Around 1 am, the home of Mrs. Ethal Lucille Moseley, well-known as ‘Aunty Lu’, went up in flames, resulting in her burning to death. The elderly woman, who turned 100 years old last January, lived alone.

The details surrounding Mrs. Mosely’s demise are still unclear, and no pronouncement has been made by the authorities regarding what might have caused the fire.
“I don’t know what happened, if she hit down a lamp or what happened. I was home about 1 am when I got a call that her house was on fire. The first question I asked was where she was and they told me she was in there,” Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall told Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.

It was an old, wooden house that Mrs. Moseley lived in and hence, the entire house was gutted in a very short time. “It’s really sad. I know things happen, but she didn’t deserve to go this way,” an emotional Marshall said.

Hours later, the regional garage in Bartica also went up in flames, with Marshall pointing out that this would negatively impact the performance of the region, and, to some extent, the Bartica Town Council.

Three machines belonging to the municipality were parked there and are now severely damaged.

“It’s a regional store so the name says it all; where supplies are stored. It’s a major loss for us and we will ensure that this does not happen again,” Marshall expressed.

Mrs. Moseley was married to Albert Moseley who originated from Berbice and is now deceased. She had no children. Her sister, who is 104 years old, resides in Canada.
She spent most of her time alone at home, although many visitors would pop in to see how she’s doing and to offer whatever assistance they could. Mrs. Moseley got visitors especially from the church she has been attending for some 61 years. In fact, she was one of its founders, and the last one remaining, prior to her demise.

In an interview with this publication last February, Mrs. Moseley had said that the secret to living long is simply love. “The secret to living long is a tonic; a wonderful tonic called Love,” she expressed.

Among the things she mentioned was that although she received visitors, she still felt lonely many days. “To be lonely is a crime. Many nights I sit down here and it’s only the radio I listen to,” she said.

Her death has sent shockwaves throughout Bartica, with hundreds offering their sympathy on social media and elsewhere.