THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) were, yesterday, still investigating the circumstances that caused fire, at Lot 12 Cummings Street North, Middle Road, Buxton, East Coast Demerara, to claim the life of 65-year-old  amputee Dennis Marks, on Wednesday night. Investigations, so far, have not determined the origin of the blaze but daughter of the deceased, Sonita Joyce, told the media she is of the view that her father may have started it accidentally.
Asked her reason for such speculation, she said he was “a hard drinker and smoker” and, maybe, was smoking at the time and fell asleep with a lighted cigarette that ignited a combustible item.
The woman said that her father lived with his reputed wife  who was not at home when the disaster struck.
Joyce pointed out that her father was not someone who had to do any chores in the house since the woman would, usually, do all the house work before leaving to vend in the city.
Joyce said Marks would, mostly, move from sitting inside the house to the veranda but not venture downstairs in the yard.
When the Guyana Chronicle visited the scene of the tragedy, the man’s charred remains were partly buried amidst debris and was in a position that suggested he was attempting to make his way out of the burning wooden two-bedroom house when he met his demise.
As news of the conflagration spread, many persons rushed to the location, being fully aware of the man’s disabled status but, by then, it was too late because he had already perished.
Joyce said she was at her home when alerted and she, too, arrived at the location after the complete destruction of the building.
Other residents said, upon seeing the flames, they hurriedly formed a bucket brigade but that failed to control the conflagration. However, the GFS was commended for arriving at the site in a timely manner.
That fire, the first recorded for the year 2013, took the life of the man who leaves to mourn three children and a reputed wife.