ATO Erasto Benjamin, 27, of Lot 6 ‘D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, was crushed dead when the wooden house in which he lived collapsed, pinning him below on Wednesday afternoon. His sister, Izetta Roberts, 19, told the Guyana Chronicle that five of the seven occupants of the building were inside when the tragedy struck but all, except him, managed to vacate before it fell.
She said her sibling went back to free their dog and was killed but the animal survived.
Roberts said the structure, which had been leaning, swayed and then there was a crackling sound. She suspected that something was wrong and exited together with children and three adults but Benjamin returned inside unknown to them.
She said, after the house had fallen, they began looking for Benjamin and, by then, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) arrived on the scene. His body was seen amongst the debris after the building was lifted.
The grieving teenager said, when her sibling was pulled from under the rubble, he appeared lifeless, his face badly mangled, neck broken and gaping wounds about the rest of his body.
He was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Roberts said the lower flat of their home was unoccupied and, after living there all her life, she, like the others, spent Wednesday night at relatives.
Others left homeless by the incident include nieces, nephews and cousins.
Meanwhile, yesterday several men were dismantling what was left of the house and putting the pieces in horse drawn carts to be taken elsewhere.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said they had received a call for assistance, at about 18:06 hrs on Wednesday, to which they responded with a hydraulic ram that raised the building to free the man from underneath. (Michel Outridge)