ARSON is suspected in the early morning fire at Merriman’s Funeral Home at 55 Lime and Bent Streets, Georgetown, in which two hearses were destroyed, while   the front door and inside the chapel were severely scorched.

Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle, yesterday, said that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) received the fire call after 01:00hrs and three tenders from the Alberttown and Central Fire Stations responded and when they got to the scene, the fire was observed in two separate sections.
He said that the garage was alight as well as the front section of the building in the front door area and the fires were extinguished by the fire fighters.
According to Gentle, the fires were started when a combustible liquid which was used as an accelerant was ignited and an investigation has commenced.
Merriman’s Funeral Home Supervisor, Yvonne Berry told the Guyana Chronicle that no guard was present at the time of the fire but their loss runs into millions of dollars since inside the chapel, especially the ceiling, was damaged by the blaze.
She explained that, initially, neighbours first observed the flames and responded until the GFS arrived and contained the blaze.
Berry stated that the two hearses destroyed were parked in the locked garage and were purchased only in December 2012. The family business has been in existence for more than 50 years with a branch in Berbice.
She pointed out that they had two funerals yesterday and they managed to cope using the chapel down the street. They were opened for business too but repairs will be effected to make the place fully operational shortly.
Neighbours, yesterday, said they did not hear anything nor did they see anyone lingering near the place before the fire but they were alerted to the blaze after they saw thick smoke coming from the building which was locked at the time.