CHIEF Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle reported, yesterday, that the Thursday afternoon blaze which left a family of seven homeless was started by two children left unattended and playing with matches.

He said they lit a mattress in the bedroom afire and the flames quickly consumed the entire wooden cottage before a tender from the Mahaica Station, also on the East Coast of Demerara, responded to the call.
Gentle said the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was alerted at 13:59 hrs and the Mahaica Station, having been informed, was responding. But, given the fact that it was raining and the roads were wet, it took some time to reach the location.
He explained that the route leading to Bare Root is in a bad condition and the vehicle had to take time to also negotiate the huge potholes that littered the thoroughfare.
Gentle noted that, when the firefighters arrived at the scene, the building had been reduced to a pile of rubble but the children, who were home alone, managed to get out before it was gutted.
The home owner was identified as Allison Herbert, who occupied the house with her family of six, including children.
Villagers of Bare Root formed a bucket brigade and stopped the flames from spreading to another house nearby but Gentle urged parents/guardians to ensure that children are not left unattended and matches kept out of their reach at all times, since carelessness is the result of many house fires.