A FIRE believed to be electrical in origin yesterday gutted a single apartment in a large residential complex at Roraima Housing Scheme, Versailles, on the West Bank, leaving at least one person homeless.
The occupant of the apartment next to the gutted one, Meena Raghubir, told the Chronicle she received a call at about 17:30h from one of her children saying that they had seen smoke coming from the neighbouring apartment.
The woman, who works at the nearby Aracari Resort, said: “I called 912 to report the fire immediately after receiving the call from my children, and then came home. When I got here, I saw black smoke coming from the apartment.”
She said neighbours tried to kick in the door in an attempt to save items in the apartment, but soon abandoned the idea and fled after hearing popping sounds which they believed were  coming from exploding gas cylinders.
When this newspaper arrived on the scene, the fire had been contained but intense heat was still coming from the waterlogged apartment. Raghubir said that by the time she got home, her children had already left the apartment, and were assembled on the street.
Raghubir commended members of the Guyana Fire Service, which she said responded to the fire within some 10 minutes of being called.
The owner of the apartment complex is said to be overseas, but this newspaper understands that the building might be insured.